Under The Stars
by Azarathian Angel
Summary: Silver's lust for treasure and Jim's childhood dream collide as Flint's trove is found. Yet through the bitter whispers of a mutiny, Sora sees the lines between right and wrong blur. Could she possibly become a traitor among her pirate commrades? Romance.
1. Nightmares

**A/N:**

If you didn't guess it already this is my version of Treasure Planet with my OC. Rated for minor coarse language, and some violence only. The first chapter's not very long, but the others will be longer. :) Also, constructive criticism is appreciated.

-Edit- Can we do these edit things? I'm not sure really sure or something… _Anyway, _after my friend read this she told me she didn't understand it 'cause she hadn't seen the movie. Though I am guessing most people have seen the movie, I still wanted to change a bit; ok, well… more than a bit, but only because the beginning wasn't that great since this is the first story I have ever written.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Treasure Planet, or any of the characters in the movie.

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Soft clouds of blues, purples, and sometimes reds, floated through the empty nighttime skies. Bright stars shone through the clouds, sending light down toward the nearby planet. In the midst of the Etherium it was deadly silent as an old, stolen, galleon flew through these clouds. The _Audacity's _bow dipped up and down whilst her rigging swayed. None were upon the deck, which only made the ship seem all the more desolate. From on the deck, one could see the entrance to the galley. A soft orange glow came from it and laughter and shouts came from inside.

Trying to avoid the noise, a young woman sat in the shrouds. The violent wind pushed her black hair back as she scanned the skies. The pirate's eyes widened as she saw what they all were after.

Billy Bones' ship flew into view.

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Dark clouds loomed over the Benbow Inn and spoke whispers of a large downpour. Sitting upon the metal roof, a young man recalled the day's events. From a nearby window, the sound of his mother, Sarah Hawkins, talking to Delbert, an old family friend, could be heard. Jim sighed, keeping the usual angry and reclusive attitude around him. He had brought this on himself; after all, almost getting arrested could get your parent to be pretty mad. It _was his_ fault, but he couldn't help it.

Solar surfing was pretty much all he had. It was a way to escape from his life and let go of everything. The rush of it all, the feeling of adrenaline was almost unexplainable. Jim turned his face away from the window as their conversation continued.

"I just don't know how you manage it all, Sarah. Running an inn and trying to raise a felon -uh, fellow like Jim-"

"Managing it?" Sarah's brown hair was kept up in a bun, but wisps of hair fell in her face, giving her a weary look. "I'm at the end of my rope. Ever since his father left- well, Jim's just never been the same. And you know how smart he is; he built his first solar surfer when he was eight!" Up on the roof, he nearly smiled remembering it, but his smiled soon faded. "Yet he's failing in school and when I try to talk to him he's like a stranger to me. I not sure what to d-"

The sound of their conversation was the furthest thing from his mind when a small smoking ship flew past. It crashed onto one of the docks over a large canyon. Jim slid of the roof quickly and landed on the ground. He then took off running towards the ship, which had now started smoking even more. Running up towards it, he pounded on the glass. "Hey mister, you're okay in there, right?"

A large and reptilian hand hit the glass, making Jim jump. He stepped back a few feet as an old man tumbled out of the hatch followed by a wooden chest. He was hesitant to get closer to him, but the man pulled the boy by the collar to talk to him. "Can yeh hear 'em? Those gears and gyros clickin' and whirlin' like the devil 'imself. But I won't let that fiendish cyborg and his band o' cutthroats get this –they'll have to pry it from ole' Billy Bones' cold dead fingers 'afore I-" The man now broke out into a fit of racking coughs, but still keeping a protective hand on his chest.

"Uh-" Jim had the feeling Bones was a bit delusional, but knew he should still help him. "Here- Give me your arm." He tried helping him walk to the inn.

"Good lad." Billy Bones wheezed. Meanwhile, it started to rain.

_Perfect._ Jim thought as they walked up the path. _Mom's gonna _love_ this._

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The entire crew of the _Audacity _watched as the ship they had shot at crashed down through the atmosphere of some planet. Montresser- the helmsman had said it was called. Being a mining planet, Montresser was filled with canyons, which only would make it harder for the pirates to find the ship –and the precious cargo.

Silver was in one of the worst moods the crew had ever seen. Losing that ship could only mean pure hell for whoever happened to be standing next to the captain when he found out.

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Bones lay dying there in the inn. He was weak –anyone could have told you that. His face was covered in rain as he took another painful breath. "Me chest, lad." Jim pushed the chest towards him. "He's coming. But I can't let them find this." He said, taking a small sphere shaped bundle from the chest and holding close to him.

"Who's coming?" Jim asked, his brown hair dripping wet.

Bones pulled the boy close again and whispered in his ear. "The cyborg. Beware the cyborg…" He then tried taking another breath –and failed. He fell back onto the floor, leaving the sphere in Jim's hands.

"Oh my-" Sarah really was in a sorry state. This was just too much for her.

Suddenly lights shone near the window. Someone must have been outside –or a few someones to be exact. Jim turned off a few lines of the holographic window background and saw just who Billy was running from.

There were pirates outside, loading their guns.

The boy bolted from the window and grabbed his mother's hand saying, "We gotta go."

Doppler hesitated for a moment before hearing gun shot and then seeing it come through the window and door. "I think I'm with Jim on this one!" He ran up the stairs, following Jim and Sarahh.

Then, there was smoke, the horrid smell of it filled the air and sent Jim coughing. His mother and Doc were about to jump off the ledge of the window down to the small carriage below. But as he looked behind him, Jim could see the shadows of the pirates now making their way up the stairs, probably to find the small mysterious sphere Bones had left behind.

"Where is it?" Jim now heard the cries of a man- "Find it!" From the sound of his voice and his demands Jim figured he was in charge here. Then the shadows grew larger and a small figure came up the steps. It appeared to be a woman. A female pirate of all things! The shadows evilly covered her face as she drew out a gun. Luckily, it had to power up before shooting.

From the other end of the hallway, the sounds of Doc trying to get Sarah to jump took place of the pirate's shouts and yells. Even his reassuring voice and promises wouldn't be able to convince Sarah to willingly jump off the edge of her own home.

"On the count of three, one-"

"Three!" Jim skipped and shoved them out. To his, and everyone else's, delight they landed safely. The carriage bounced and swayed as Doppler got Delilah to go faster, that they may escape before the pirates found that what they were after was now leaving. As they sped off Jim was yearning to take a closer look at what was now being taken out of the concealment of his coat. The sphere- now clutched tightly in Jim's hand.

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Back at the Benbow, or what was left of it, two figures stood motionless in what seemed like a swarm of angry bees. Every pirate was searching, searching endlessly for this map that supposedly Billy Bones would have in his possession. Or _had_, if you prefer. The flames leapt higher, threatening to burn the not so wary. A haunting orange glow covered every man's face, and it seemed the walls were dancing with shadows.

"Blast it all!" Silver shouted. "That salamander has passed on the bloody map!" Rubbing the back of his neck he tried to take all of this in.

"Perhaps he gave it to the owners of the inn?" His accomplice offered, pushing back her dark hair as if to survey the complete panic everyone was in. "'Tis a miracle if they got far in this ghastly weather. We may catch them yet."

_They're long gone by now. But, we'll do some digging into the matter. _Silver mused._ Whoever has the map now will be wishin'- well, they'll be wishin' ole' Billy Bones had never step foot on their bloody doorstep when we find 'em!_

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A teenage boy awoke in such a fright that one might have thought he was a young child, awaking from a horrifying nightmare. Jim ran his fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath. Was it a dream? No, it couldn't have been, for now he wasn't in his familiar bedroom. Instead, he was lying on a couch in a large observatory. Doppler's observatory. Then he realized why, the inn. It was gone.

Jim let out a long sigh. Pushing back the blankets he stumbled and tripped along his way in the dark. Jim now wished Doppler had more than one guest room, how in blazes did he ever get around all these books? Finally making his way to his destination he had gotten there only by the light of a small street lamp outside. Gazing upward out the window his eyes locked onto the spaceport, always visible from Montresser.

Just remembering what happened only hours earlier made him actually smile. He recalled how Billy Bones' little treasure had been a sphere shaped map. The map had shown everything. The spaceport, Montresser, other galaxies and planets, nebulas and stars –everything. He reminisced on how astonished they all were when they saw what the map also showed. The legendary Treasure Planet. Could this be real? Could all those stories he had heard as a child really be true? Things had been going terribly lately, but now this! He, Jim, was going to sail to Treasure Planet! Well, of course with Doctor Doppler, but still everything would work out. He would find the treasure and make his mom proud of him instead of ashamed.

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Another restless night! Another night she was plagued by these horrible nightmares that seemed to haunt her since the moment she would lay her head down. Her eyes opened wearily and reluctantly. The hammock underneath her swayed back and forth with a steady rhythm to it. This night the crew for tomorrow's flight slept in the ship, waiting the night out for the two "guests" as the captain had put it that would be coming in the morning.

The girl sighed, reminiscing on what had happened. The dreams, which she had frequently now, just wouldn't leave. In them was every terrible thing she had done in her past.

Running away from home, leaving her friends, her family, everything she had grown up with and grown to love, joining a band of pirates pretty much topped it all off. And yet, there was more, much more she didn't want to remember, the latest being the burning of an inn, she thought guiltily.

What was this now? Could she really be feeling guilt? And now of all times? She squeezed her eyes tight, hoping for just a few more hours' sleep. Unfortunately, her comrades snored, and loudly. But, what could you really expect from a group of lazy pirates, mostly men, in fact?


	2. Interrogations

**A/N:**

I'll try to get a chapter up about every week and a half, that is, if anyone will R&R.

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, but I've got a week's worth of homework! Oh, wait, that's a bad thing.

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A man in the galley stood in silence, preparing tonight's dinner. The horrid smell of only God knows what came up from the pot in the middle of the kitchen. On one of the old benches sat a young woman, listening to the tune that Silver started whistling. Her ears perked up instinctively as the sound of three people making their way, loudly, into the galley came to her ears. Yet, as the newcomers came, and kept going past her, she kept her face hidden in the cold shadows.

"Why Mister Arrow Sir," Silver threw on a forced smile and bowed. "Had I have known you'd be bringing in such fine guests into my humble galley, I woulda tucked in me shirt."

Her ears caught the boy's whisper, "A Cyborg". _So, Bones had warned this boy? Silver's gonna have to think of something good to get this boy of his back, now._ The man with the dorky metal suit cleared his throat, "I am the noted Astrophysicist, Doctor Delbert Doppler, also the financier of this voyage! And this is Jim. _He's here to build character."_ The last part came out in a whisper. "Whatever." Jim glared at him now.

"Love the outfit Doc." Silver eyed the suit with his helpful, but creepy robotic eye. Delbert scratched his ankle nervously. "um-"

"Put 'er there, Jimbo." Silver thrust out his hand. Jim just glared at the Cyborg. "Ah, well, this bucket o' bolts was tough getting' used to but they do come in mighty handy from time to time." As he finished his sentence he started cutting up various alien plants and…well…Jim didn't exactly know what some of it was.

Silver handed Doppler a bowl of Bonzabeast stew, as well as Jim. "Well, this looks delicious-" Doppler started, and then let out a groan as he saw an eyeball floating in his stew.

"Oh, did I mention this was an old family recipe? In fact, that's part of me old family!" He chuckled as he slapped Doppler's back.

"Your jokes are getting old, Silver." The girl commented. Jim spun around, just as surprised as Doppler that there was someone sitting there the whole time. Dark black hair covered most of her face along with the shadows; Yet Jim could tell she had her eyes closed, as if asleep, and he would have believed her so, if she had not spoken. But there was something about her –something about her presence, it seemed familiar somehow.

"Ah, that's Sora." Silver walked over to Jim. "Pay her no mind. That girl, always lovin' to shoot off her mouth. Go on Jimbo, have a swig."

Sora closed her eyes once again as she heard a comment from Jim. "Whoa, what is that thing?"

"Why, that's Morph."

"But, _what_ is it?"

"Well, he's a…morph. Rescued the little fella off o' Proteus 1, in fact, 'tis where I met Sora… Sora, come and introduce yerself properly." She sat motionless, as if she hadn't heard him. Silver coughed. "Sora?" He now shook his head sadly.

"Doctor would you like to watch the launch?" Mr. Arrow sighed. "Would I ever!" An overly excited Doppler now ran up the stairs.

"Mr. Hawkins will be in your charge, Mr. Silver." Mr. Arrow looked bored, if not a bit tired, and certainly wanted to get out of the stuffy kitchen. As this was said Sora seemed to jerk awake. "Excuse me?" Sora and Silver said at the same time.

"Captain's orders!"

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Sora could feel a tension between Jim and Silver. _This boy suspects something._ Only a few feet away from her the two guys glared at each other for a few moments. _This _must_ really be the boy who lived in the Inn._ Sora kept her comments to herself, which was hard since she was yearning to shout to this boy to mind his business, only, in a… less polite way. Jim had been trying to act casual, asking about some 'Cyborg buddy' who Billy Bones wanted to find; He mentioned his home planet, Montresser, trying to catch some glimpse of remembrance on Silver's face, perhaps. Her head stayed down and she tried not to show any reaction to what he was saying, not that this human boy could possibly see her in the shadows.

"Bones?" Silver sounded out the name as if it were new to him. "Bones? Isn't ringing any bells. Must have been another Cyborg, there's a slew of Cyborgs, roamin' this port." As he spoke a shout could be heard from the deck. Mr. Arrow's deep voice could have overshadowed anyone's conversation just then.

"Ah, off with ya lad, go watch the launch. There'll be a plenty of work awaitin' for ya after." Pushing Jim away, Silver went back to cooking. Jim gave him one last glare before turning around and rushing up the stairs. Silver turned to Sora.

"Sora! Why wouldn't you say 'ello to our guests?" There was almost a hint of anger in his voice. "Where are yer manners?" A few moments passed before they both burst out laughing. "Although, we'll have to keep an eye on that one. We wouldn't want him strayin' into things he shouldn't." He said quietly. "Sora, why don't you keep an eye on 'em?" Sora snorted, and then opened her eyes to see him. He gave her a serious look that sent chills down her spine.

"Oh, you were serious?" She smiled innocently.

"Sora…" Silver said warningly.

"Oh fine!"

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Stepping out into the sunlight from the lower deck could blind just about anyone. The sounds of men shouting, most of which were Mr. Arrow, mixed with the sounds of the bustling crowds at the spaceport as Sora stepped out onto the deck. The sun beat down on the back of her neck, though it was quite a relief from the never-ending steam of the kitchen. From where she was standing she could see Jim, wide eyed and totally blown away by the launch, which had hardly even started yet. Seeing him almost made her smile. That was exactly what she was like, the first time she was on a ship. Now, it just seemed like a part of everyday life. Glancing around she searched for Doctor Doppler. She found him, standing still in his ridiculous metal suit, next to the captain and first mate. He seemed like he was enjoying himself also.

"Loose all solar sails!" Mr. Arrow had his hands cupped around his mouth -as if he really needed to. His voice had to be louder than any blow horn. "Heave up the braces!"

As Sora got to work she watched Jim run to the side and lean over, trying to get a better view of the launch. "Brace up!" Mr. Arrow's voice cut her from her thoughts. She sighed; she hated this next part of flying. As gravity lost its control every crewmember started to float up, with nothing keeping them down. Captain Amelia took notice of this and shouted, "Engage artificial gravity, Mr. Zoff!" He snorted a reply and pushed down a lever.

Sora came back down with a thud but landed on her feet, unlike Dr. Doppler who had just crashed on his head. "Mr. Turnbuckle, head south by southwest, 2100." The captain looked as if she hadn't noticed the Doctor. "Yes, Captain."

As Sora assisted the launch she kept a close watch on Jim. From her position in the galley she hadn't gotten a good look at the boy. He looked a bit, what's the word? Dark, maybe? Depressed or troubled, or something? _But, why should I care?_ He was the enemy, although, he wasn't ugly, maybe even a bit cute. Hold on, where did that come from? She shook her head. It was this place getting to her. Not being in that open Etherium must have been messing with her head. Every member of the experienced crew steadied themselves for the ships sudden burst of speed that was coming. Sure enough, she heard a crash from behind her as the sound of metal bashed against wood, or in other words, Doppler into the wall.


	3. Newbie

**A/N:**

Yay! First chapter with my other OC in it! He doesn't have a large role compared to Sora; Fun fact for ya, Sora's based off of one of my best friends (she's one of those girls who, if you tick them off, they'll beat the crap out of you) She's cool . My other OC is based off of the kid who ticks off my friend all the time. Oh…what evil things I can to do this guy's character…heh heh heh… XD …Also, thanks to those who replied, it's so great to see reviews after only 2 days being up.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Treasure Planet, or any of the characters in the movie.

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_Splat! _Jim's mop was forced onto the deck a little harder than need be, he was frustrated, as anyone could tell. _Yah, I got your Mr. Mop! I shouldn't even be a cabin boy! This sucks! _He thought angrily.He now heard low voices, talking non-stop were a few of the crew in front of him. Among them were a large, pinkish brown guy, his arms crossed over his chest, and wait- One girl stood out among them. Of all the crew, Jim had just now noticed that he was the only human person there. But, this girl was too wasn't she? That's probably why Jim noticed her, right? Among the group in front of him, she not only was the only girl, but the only human.

For a few more moments he surveyed the group. Well, maybe just Sora. Dark hair clashed with her pale skin, a long gray overcoat covering up her clothes. That's odd. Sora had the same shoes as he did. He didn't doubt the rest of her clothes were probably meant for boys also. She already seemed a tomboy enough.

They soon took notice of his stare and hushed their conversation. Sora took a glance at her comrades and slid off the side of the ship, her boots landing loudly on the deck, and walked over to him with a sinister smile that made Jim a bit nervous. He turned back to his job, not really wanting to hear what she had to say. From Jim's point of view a shadow crossed the stream of suds coming from his mop. He brought his head up and saw Sora leaning against the mast, small rods coming off of it for lifelines to be tied too, if need be.

"So," Sora crossed her arms over her chest. "You're here to build character?" She started to smirk as the men behind her chuckled. "What the devil is that supposed to mean?"

Jim couldn't take this. "I don't why he said that, ok?" His voice was rising, almost to a shout. "Just lay off!" Her eyes narrowed at him. Angry that he yelled at her, she was about to respond when a large spacer walked past Jim, shoving him out of the way. "Watch it twerp!" he growled. Jim held his comments, as the man was a few times his size.

As he left, Jim's gaze returned to the group of men. "What are you looking at, weirdo?" One of them said, his friend also replying. "Yah, weirdo!" Jim almost shivered, these guys were creepy.

"Remember, Newbie." Sora walked past him and whispered in his ear. "You're the alien here."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He countered, not wanting a new nickname from this girl. He would have continued, had his breathe not caught in his throat at the sight of a large, and sinister looking shadow that came from behind him. From the looks of it, the shadow's owner was climbing down along the shrouds.

"Cabin boys should learn to mind their own…" Mr. Scroop steadied himself on the deck from his climb and came face to face with the new cabin boy. "…Business."

"Why," Jim started to push his mop around. "You got something to hide, bright eyes?"

Sora couldn't tell from which she was more shocked. The fact that this kid, this scrawny teenage boy, had talked back to Mr. Scroop, or the fact that their jobs were about to be much easier with one less annoying little brat to get rid of later.

Scroop dragged Jim up by his collar and held him there. With his legs dangling in the air, Scroop thrust him into the mast, practically strangling him. Cheers from the crew only made him more determined to have his revenge on the boy, and made Jim all the more nervous. Sora had to admit, even with their search for the map, these last few months had been boring. Even she would have welcomed a good old fistfight. Yet fate was cruel to them, and postponed for Jim, as Silver stepped into the picture.

"Mr. Scoop," Silver's large, mechanical arm held Scroop's claw back. Disappointed objections and murmurings came from the crew, but Silver continued. "Yeh ever see what happens to a fresh purp when you squeeze it, real _hard?" _Scroop let out a small yelp as Silver tightened his grip on him, and he dropped the boy. Unfortunately for everyone, the 'fight' had another viewer.

"What's all this then?" Mr. Arrow walked slowly down the steps and into the midst of the crew. "There'll be no brawling on this ship. Any further offenders will be confined to the brig for the remainder of the voyage. Am I clear?" A few chose to look down, trying to fake a sorry attitude, and some, for the first time in their life.

Even now, sitting atop the bowsprit where it connected with the deck, Sora found it amusing how Silver had exploded and totally lost his temper only a few moments after Mr. Arrow's little 'talk'. _Are yeh all… stark raving? Totally blinking daft? Do yeh all want to blow the mutiny 'afore its time after all it took to get us 'ere?_ Sora laughed quietly to herself, but found she stopped as the sound of footsteps filled her senses. Not just any footsteps, either, she recognized these, and seriously considered jumping ship.

"Aye, Sora." A young man said. "Surely you found Silver's temper as amusing as I?"

"One step closer and I'll blast you off this ship, Grant." She said warningly. Sora considered pulling out her gun, just to show him she was serious. "I was having a good day until I heard yer little footsteps walkin' this way, so leave."

"Ya cut me to the quick, Sora. " He walked up towards the bowsprit, pulling himself up to sit next to her with his long green tail. "I simply thought we might enjoy one another's company."

"I think I just gagged." Sora tried to kick him off the bowsprit but he hung on, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Sora shivered, his two fingers were resting on her arm, but they were cold as ice.


	4. Not Quite Human

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, or any other planet. Though, I _have_ had my eye on Mars…

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Jim was mopping the deck, perhaps even angrier than when he had started, when he saw a shadow cross over the deck. A man, and a young one at that, was walking towards the bowsprit. His silver/gray hair may have given you the idea he was old, yet his young face gave away his real age.

Jim thought he couldn't have been a day older than 20. This guy gave him the creeps, he wasn't very big, but he looked the kind of guy who had something to hide. _Hmm, that's sort of what the whole crew seems like._

He had dark green skin, and a tail, that was kept wrapped around itself. The young man wore clothes similar to his own, which only made him resemble a human even more if not for the green skin and tail. He sat himself next to Sora, saying something inaudible to Jim. Sora replied, and with a really pissed off look on her face. He continued mopping the deck when Sora raised her voice loud enough for him to hear. "What's it gonna take to get you out of my face, Grant?" Her voice was rising to a shout.

Jim kept his head down as he heard him reply something Jim couldn't make out. Crack! Something made his entire body jerk. He looked to the source of the sound and saw Grant holding his head in true pain, and Sora walking away with a satisfied look on her face. In her hand, a gun that resembled a modern day revolver, she was holding it backwards, suggesting that she had hit Grant over the head with the grip.

As she walked past him, he tried his best not to laugh at Grant, who was still holding his head. She smiled, happy to see Grant had an audience, which would only embarrass him more. Judging from the way Grant was now recovering pretty quickly, Jim now got the sense Grant usually said things like this, and regularly got hit. It took him a few more moments' time to wonder why Sora would have a gun. It scared him a bit to know that if this young girl had one, then maybe all the crew did. But why?

Jim was just finishing his mopping, when he realized how late it must be, judging from how tired he was. Putting the mop and bucket into a small closet, he turned, only to come face-to-face with Sora, the wind pushing her hair even more into her eyes. "You hungry?" Her voice was in a monotone, and her face carried no expression at all. Jim was trying to recover from shock. Where had she come from anyway? He hadn't heard a sound hinting she had walked up behind him. It wasn't a nice thought, knowing she would be able to sneak up on him like that.

As if in response, Jim's stomach growled. He had been so concentrated on getting done with his stupid chores he had forgotten about supper. Her eyes full of laughter, Sora turned towards the galley and glanced back at him.

"I'll take that as a yes."

The galley was filled with loud laughter and shouts from the crew as they enjoyed their dinner. A few men broke out into a few old sea-songs, which only added to the noise. With the movement of the ship, the old lantern swayed and bobbed, casting a, not eerie, but warm glow on everyone's face. Sora looked as if she belonged, laughing along with them as she had a short word with Mr. Onus; But Jim kept an angry face on. He didn't like these people, nor did he trust them.

"Rule #1." Sora struggled to keep her voice loud enough for him to hear. She handed him a plate and walked into the kitchen where a line of large pots were lined up. "Don't eat this." He eyed the contents of the first pot; a horrible and nasty aroma filled his nostrils. _Who would want to? _They moved on, Sora telling him what each one was, and why he shouldn't eat it. He mumbled something about how Silver must not be a very good cook.

"Of course he is. It's just, most of his dishes aren't, well… ugh- never mind." Her plate landed across from him on the table, adding to the noise around them.

"So it's safe to say the only edible thing around here's the Bonzabeast stew?" Jim commented as he surveyed the contents of his bowl, a dish that he didn't really want to know the ingredients of.

Sora laughed. "I guess, it's basically the only thing here fit for our _human_ stomachs." While she spoke Jim lifted his spoon to his face, only to let its contents drip back down to the bowl. His expression told her he was utterly disgusted. "Unlike that." She concluded. _Hold on, Human? Well, of course she's human, you idiot! _His mind answered._ Well she said that 'you're the alien here' thing earlier; I thought maybe she was a hybrid or something. If so_, his mind said_, she won't someone talking about it, or even thinkin' about it._

"You okay?" Sora's face looked a bit concerned.

_Why does she care, anyway?_ "Fine." He muttered, though he was pretty sure she couldn't hear him over the noise. Their conversation ended as a loud roar erupted from the Densadron that sat at the next table. Sora sighed, turning back to her food, men were such idiots, always starting fights. Jim, however, watched the trouble that ensued. The large four-armed brute held up a lizard-like fellow by the neck. Knowing these men, Sora started to subconsciously list the many reasons why they were fighting now. However, whatever it was, they would soon have to deal with Silver, who wouldn't want them acting like pirates, at least not in front of the boy.

"Swenson! Collins!" Silver was shouting at the top of his lungs now. "Belay that, now!"

Swenson, with his large fourth arm, pushed the other man back, just to be the last to have a hit at the other. Collins fell back, knocking everyone sitting at the table behind him, with his long skinny arms. Everyone sitting there, including Sora stood up, wishing to give him a piece of his or her mind.

Jim, noticed, as Sora was knocked forward, along with the rest of that side of the table her hair parted revealing her abnormal ears; Pointed, they were, cat-like and similar to the Captain's. They alone told him many a past generation ago, an ancestor wasn't all-human.

"What the devil's your problem?" Sora still standing, looked Swenson in the eye. Or, as best she could from at least a foot below his eye level. He growled deep in his throat. Silver, knowing Sora would not stand down a fight- no matter the opponent's size, thrust his fist down upon the table.

"Belay this!" Silver stood up, angry they were showing their true side before Jim. "The both of ya!"

The two glared at one another, but not one among them present would go against Silver. The Macriki quietly crawled back to the _other _side of the table, while Swenson, being the kind of man he was, gave one last glare towards Collins, and then Sora. Still keeping on an angry face, Sora sat down. Only a few moments passed before she looked up at Jim, who quickly looked back down at his food.

Realizing what he must have seen, she pushed back the bench, which gave a loud creaking noise as she did. She then stormed out of the galley. _Jeez, _Jim thought. "What's her problem?" He said quietly, not really meaning to say it aloud.

A small Optoc, which Jim later found out went by the name of Mr. Onus, spoke up. "Hmmm, that girl has an attitude, she does. I was wonderin' when she'd stop bein' nice to ya!" _Nice?_ Even in Jim's short time of knowing her, she seemed anything but nice.

"We've not known her to keep her temper down that long!" A Tuskrus commented from the table behind Jim. "Must be outa her mind, she was, standin' up to 'em like that."

Though some men agreed, one man spoke up. "'Tis a miracle, some would say, her livin' among men –'Hey!' shouted an old alien woman – but she _is _strong," He paused. "For a woman."

Those listening to their conversation laughed. "And she's quick, that one." Another added. "She be outa yer grasp and behind ye 'afore yous even thinks the word parley." More men joined in on the laughter. They soon realized the word they used; _parley_, being a word used amongst pirates. Lucky for them, Silver was across the room, unable to hear them, and Jim couldn't recall where he had heard that word before.

A smarter, but not by any means schooled, man kept the conversation going in hopes the boy would forget what they'd said earlier. "Asides, if she couldn't a' handled 'em, 'ole Silver woulda stepped in. He's like 'er father, ever since they met."

"He'd never let no man even touch her, I'd reckon."

"Though, that never stopped Grant before!" He burst out into a new fit of laughter. _Sounds like a pervert to me. _Jim thought, as he tried to turn back around. But, as he did he first thought something was wrong with his eyes. He could see before him, the outline of a… person, it looked like.

Grant slowly appeared before his eyes, startling Jim. He must have jumped about foot, because the men's laughter around him grew louder than the present noise.

Silver noticed their laughter, Grant, and Jim's surprised expression, and, he pieced it all together. "Grant! Stop showing off." Grant, once again, blended in with the background, and reappeared behind Silver. Even though Jim wasn't fond of Grant's special ability, he had to laugh at the chameleon-like man now making rude gestures behind Silver.

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**A/N: **

Longest. Chapter. Yet. Sorry, if you don't like long chapters. Understand if I make 'em all this long it'll take longer to write. ;) Sorry if I used the word Parley wrong. My sister told me what it meant, but she could have been wrong. The definition of it I found was, _discussion, especially between enemies over terms of truce. _Obviously, if you tick her off and she has a gun to your head, she's your enemy. Does that make sense? Also, I won't be able to get another chapter up until friday or so, We have Mid-Term Exams all week!


	5. Antagonism

**A/N:**

**Key:**

_Thoughts/Dreams_

Regular Words

Get it? Got it? Good!

Disclaimer: I do not own Treasure Planet or any characters in it. sniff…sniff :'(

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As the week carried on, Jim was truly spending every minute of his day doing work. The moment he tried to rest, or even daydream for that matter, Silver would find him some of the most ridiculous and disgusting jobs for him to do.

As a sack of potatoes was emptied in front of him into a large pile, Jim realized this would be a _long_ day. It seemed like with each passing day the chores piled up more and more, like those blasted potatoes, and made him hate being the only cabin boy even more. Sora threw the empty sack into his lap and she turned to leave. "Good luck." She muttered, sarcastically.

Like his loathing for his job grew, so did his for this girl. Every time an opportunity presented itself she'd find ways to make him even angrier without even doing much. Like for instance, later that night, after supper, he just knew there was a smirk plastered on her face as she helped Silver clear the tables, loading up big stacks for Jim to clean. For goodness' sake she even knocked him when she walked by in any hallway.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Later the next day, the _Legacy _flew closer to a star than usual and made the day unbearably hot. As if things couldn't get worse, Sora stepped out onto the deck.

As she walked by him her shoulder collided with his. So, what? Sora liked picking on this boy for various reasons, one of which being he was new and seriously didn't know how to pick his fights. Jim didn't doubt for a second that it was on-purpose.Was she just waiting to see how long it took before he cracked? "That's it!" He shouted, throwing the mop down. "What's your problem?"

Sora stopped and spun on her heel, and as her voice rose to a shout, Jim recognized an English accent. "My problem? You're the whining little brat who won't shut his mouth!"

"_Me_? Shut _my_ mouth?" A few men stood up from their busy schedules of laying about the deck all day to watch the trouble brewing. Fortunately there was only about four or five of them.

"Uh, yes you! And you want to know what my bloody problem is? It's you! When I came on this ship I didn't think my job would be to baby-sit some idiot cabin boy, makin' sure he does his chores without getting himself sliced up by Scroop!" She crossed her arms over her chest and started to walk away when she heard his whisper.

"_Women_!" He muttered.

"You're in for it now." One man said.

"Why? She's just a girl."

_You're dead now, Newbie_. Jim turned back to his work, seeing she was just clenching her fists, and not trying to kill him. When the sound of knuckles cracking filled the air, he turned around, only to come in contact with someone's fist. He couldn't have blocked it if it had been the only thing he desired in this life. _Those men were right,_ Jim thought, as he stumbled back. _She's one quick opponent._

Sora stood only a few feet away, with tight fists, and pure anger burning in her heart. Lesson learned- don't tick her off. For 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'. And Jim was going to pay. He stumbled back into a few of the men, who pushed him back towards Sora. Bad idea. As he tripped forward, she pushed him to the ground. His head hit the deck with a thud.

From his point of view he saw Sora's boyish boots walking away. His anger getting the best of him, he tripped her. As _she _fell her head hit the side of the ship, cutting her lip also. The men's laughter filled both of their ears, Jim stood up, using the mast for support, and rubbed his jaw. Sora could throw a pretty good punch. He looked towards the men as they laughed, just getting angrier.

The sound of wind whistling near his right ear made him wonder what made the noise. Looking over he saw a knife, bouncing and swaying from the force of the impact on the mast. In fact- it was a gully. Jim hurriedly looked at Sora, who stood, now, only a few feet away from him, wiping the blood off of her lip.

Ok. Jim wasn't going to take his chances with this girl- especially since she was twice as fast as him. "Nice aim." He complimented without sarcasm.

Walking up to him, so her face was only inches from his, she pulled the gully out with a bit of trouble and smirked. "Thanks," She paused, the smirk left her face. "But, I missed."

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As it reached mid-day, Jim was mopping the deck. Again. How in blazes did it get dirty again so quickly? His jaw still sore, he remembered the 'fight'. If you could even call it that. Jim was content knowing he hadn't seen Sora at all yet today.

He shouldn't have jinxed it. Sora walked out from the crew's quarters, looking very tired. "Slept in?"

She sent one of her famous glares at him. "For your information, I have the night watch so I sleep during the day when I can. Mr. Onus may have three sets of eyes but they aren't nothing in the dark."

_Sorry I asked. _Sighing, he knew he should apologize for yesterday, even though he loathed the very idea. Better now than have Silver make him, after all, the man said he'd be pounding some sense into this lad's head and that probably included 'learning to say sorry'.

"Look," Jim knew this would be difficult and it showed in his voice. "I'm sorry 'bout yesterday, I-"

"I don't do apologies." Sora pushed past him.

Out of nowhere Mr. Onus shouted from the crow's nest "Land ho!" Jim's head jerked up as he heard this. It was way to soon, wasn't it? Many of the crew rushed out to see the nearing planet. Most of it was completely tanish-brown with darker brown lines and waves covering the entire planet, it also had white streaks on it, which was probably snow. Jim recognized it as Tronacor. A well known trading planet, it was also a kind of 'pit-stop' for ships on long voyages, as the planet was covered in enormous canyons, wide enough to allow any ship to pass through and dock.

Sora noticed the confused expression on his face. "You can't really expect us to go the entire journey to T- um, where ever it is we're going with out extra supplies."

_As far as you know the crew's not supposed to know where we're going, and I almost let it slip! Why do I have to be such an idiot sometimes? _If he asked, she'd just tell him the crew doesn't know and 'they just told us we'd have lots of cargo coming back' or something. She tried not to laugh at her own excuse, while she was snickering on the inside.

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After they were good and safely docked, every man was put at work, hauling in more supplies, like food and other necessities. To Sora's dismay, she and Jim were in charge of hauling the smaller barrels down below deck. She pulled on her fingerless, but still warm black gloves, but Sora didn't mind much, as long as she didn't have to be outside the whole time, as the planet was currently experiencing winter, thanks to the position of their star.

Snow crunched under her boots as Sora walked down towards a large pile of barrels, waiting to be loaded, Jim following behind her. The winds were strong here; they blew the ends of her coat behind her, revealing for the first time her apparel. She had hunter green cargo pants, which ended just above her black boots, and a dark, deep, and almost black violet shirt.

Lifting up a now slightly snow covered barrel she looked around at the scenery. This planet hardly had any trees, or any kind of plants in the first place, but now every trace of them was buried in snow. There were bare trees, the branches under a fresh blanket of snow, as was the entire port.

They worked, lugging the heavy barrels down below deck in complete silence. Jim finally broke it. "So…how old are you?"

Sora sighed. "Fifteen."

"Shouldn't you go to school instead of being just a part of some ship's crew?"

She didn't answer and again the silence overtook them. "So," He said, trying to get her to talk, even he hated the unbearable silence. "Remember when Silver said he met you on Proteus 1?"

"Hmm…" Sora tried keeping her concentration on the heavy burden, to refrain from dropping it, of course, or… to try and ignore him.

"Why were you on Proteus 1, anyway? I heard, besides those morph things, hardly anyone lives there, like there's only a few cities or something."

"Actually, there were three or four small towns." Placing the barrel down with the rest, she thought about this. How much was she going to tell this boy? "I- um, ran away."

"Why?"

"Lot's of reasons, I guess. Besides, the last letter I got from my father said he was living there, so that's where I went. Though, it turned out he moved a while ago, my mom had stopped accepting mail from there, so I hadn't known." She turned back to walk up the stairs to the deck, and Jim walked along side her, with a confused expression on his face. "Oh- my parents got divorced. It was pretty bad, but it was like four years ago."

"Wow, I'm so sorry."

"Save it- I don't need your pity. Besides, I'm doing just fine." _Hmm, that's what I said to Silver_, Jim recalled.

"Where did you live before you left?"

"Do you ever shut up?" They reached the end of a boring routine, and started again, picking up another barrel each. They repeated this process many times before Sora seriously felt her fingers were completely frozen.

"Jim!" Shouting, only a few feet away was an overdressed and half frozen Doppler, holding what looked like a letter. "There's a message from Sara!" The snow was blowing furiously now, and it made him just near impossible to hear.

"I'll uh, see ya." He ran off to speak with Doppler. Sora noticed there were only a few barrels left, thank goodness! Though eager to be rid of the tedious work, eavesdropping was one of her favorite hobbies. She fumbled around with them, while she listened.

"It's from Sarah." Doppler held up the letter. But what looked like an envelope was actually electronic. Pressing what resembled a seal, a hologram popped up of an angry and familiar face.

"Delbert! When you said a 'couple of months in space' I didn't know you were serious! Did you know you were lying to me? Did you know it was two months, one-way? Of course you did! If this takes longer than his summer break than your in big trouble, Delbert! If he misses school then I'll-"

Doppler placed his hand over the prerecorded hologram message and whispered to Jim. "Uh, your mom says Hi."

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Every single snowflake is different. Each and every one has a different and unique pattern to it. Sora watched as a few melted on the wood of the crow's nest. Standing up so high made it, if possible, even colder.

The cold night's wind swept across the deck, and the wind grew stronger up on one of the yardarms, then up to the crow's nest. She stood, trying to keep balance from the wind, as it pushed her slightly to the side, and from her weariness. Cold eyes watched, unblinking, at everything that came onto the deck. Her eyes followed anything that moved even the slightest; Her ears could catch even the smallest breath that escaped through a young boy's mouth that stood on the deck.

He was wringing his hands, apparently chilled to the bone. She gazed down at him in remembrance of their previous discussion. Sora could not find one reason, one reason at all, why told him anything, or even spoke to him for that matter. After a few moments her best explanation was that she actually enjoyed talking to someone her own age for once.

Right now though, she was furious at him. For a while now her dreams were of her past, running away and all that, but during the day it was forgotten. She completely loathed remembering her mother, and her old home and planet; Sora wished he'd have never brought it up. At least she didn't tell him what planet she lived on. If he knew that- well, what did she care if he knew? If he had any problem with it she'd just punch him. _Again_, she thought with a smirk.

Soon, Jim felt her gaze on his back and turned around, looking up at her. Their eyes locked and she glared down at him as he smiled. _What's he so smiley about? And why is it every time he smiles it gets so annoying? But no use asking unanswerable questions, get back to your shift!_

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Morning came all too quickly, and the _Legacy _had launched before an hour past sunrise. The crew had breakfast, or dinner for Sora; it was getting all too confusing. She stumbled into her hammock, shutting her eyes tightly, trying uselessly to shut the blazing bright light out. Though her watch was terribly tiring, the last thing she wanted was another dream. Or nightmare, as she would have described it. But, even though her brain protested, her body was too weary to have it any other way. Her eyes closed, and she slept peacefully- for the moment.

_Everything was pitch black, the kind where you can wave your hand in front of your face, and not have the slightest idea that it is there. Sora stepped forward, though she could see nothing, and it seemed a picture was painted in front of her eyes that very moment. A girl's bedroom- a large, pink, canopy bed, walls pink also. The room seemed- hmm, a little to 'cute' for Sora's present taste. She walked forward, and saw there was a little girl, sitting upon a bench, perfect for looking out the enormous window. She wore a- you guessed it- pink dress, and couldn't have been a day older than ten or eleven. Her black hair was kept up in a neat little bun, with a white ribbon. She sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms around them, and her forehead was leaning against the windowpane. Sora walked closer, and sat next to the little girl, though the girl could not see her. She never could. The door opened, and light streamed into the dark room. A man walked over and sat on the other side of the girl. _

"_I'm guessing you heard us fighting again?" His accent was English, much like Sora's, his face was kind, and aging, his ears were pointed and cat-like and undoubtedly non-human. The girl nodded but didn't turn to him, for fear of him seeing her tear covered face. The man sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. With a very shaky voice the girl spoke to him. "Kathy- in my class," She sniffed. "Said that when your mother and father fight a lot they get a divorce."_

"_It'll be alright sweetie, even if that did happen, I'd still see you all the time." This only made the girl cry even harder it seemed, but she continued staring outside at the softly falling rain. "So it's true then, you are!" Her shaky voice still present, she tried to stand up and leave, but her father pulled her back down by her arm. _

"_Sora Angela Thompson!" He lifted her chin to look him in the eye. "You gotta have faith that it'll be alright. Okay?" He smiled down at her, and she up at him. "Okay." She whispered, and hugged him tightly. "I love you, dad."_

_He squeezed her tightly. "I love you too, Sora."_

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**A/N:**

Yay for longer chapters! Not much of an A/N but from now on I'll give ya the title of the next chapter and a brief summary, hopefully they wont be changed much before I post them Oh, and I gave some thought to the JimOC thing. While I don't _at all_ loathe the concept, you'll just have to wait and see :)

Next Chap:

**Reminiscence.** –Reminiscences of a young girl's past. And if Jim hasn't already gotten the message, he realizes this girl is much more strong than he thought.


	6. Reminiscence

**A/N: **

I really wanted to get this chapter up before Christmas, but we had family flying in for the holidays so things have been a bit crazy around here. I'm hoping I can get chapter 7 posted in about a week, maybe a little a bit longer.

I have the funniest feeling that there's a small bit o' fluff in this chapter…

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, blah, blah… these get so boring… how about: I don't own the computer I'm typing on, I don't own the house I'm living in, I don't own my school books… Wow. Never felt so dependent on parents before…

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Tossing and turning, though she was asleep, her body could not find a comfortable position as her beautiful dream would soon turn to a nightmare. She never wanted this, to be plagued by these memories, good or bad. But as her dream shifted one to another, she had no control over it…

_It seemed the shadows swallowed her up, and in complete darkness, she felt she was falling. Stumbling and tripping, she tried to stand, but not even remembering landing on any kind of surface. Dust and dirt flew onto her clothes as she tripped again._

_Dusting herself off, one of the strangest noises reached her ears. It was the rustle of leaves, and the wind, too. Both of which now flew past in the darkness; when the leaves seemed to unstick themselves from some invisible wall, they left behind splashes of color. Sora continued watching as the 'splashes' formed the scenery –the distant trees, buildings, and even the people. This, again, was no dream, but a memory, and Sora recalled where she was._

_She was on the planet, Mardella._

_The place she stood resembled a train station, long lines of people waiting for tickets, mostly human, though (Mardella, being the planet it was). Many benches were lined up against an old brick building with a barred window and a ticket saleswoman. The rain was just starting to drizzle but the looming and dark clouds overhead foretold a massive thunderstorm. A little girl sat upon on of the benches, face wet with tears or rain –it was impossible to tell. She was tiny, at least it seemed that way, as she was wearing a dark black cloak with a hood. Hands wearing black, fingerless gloves reached up to wipe her eyes. Above her, on the wall of the building was a flashing sign with green letters reading 'next destinations -- Proteus 1, Tronacor, Wilc-' it cut off here as the message moved._

'That girl is becoming a nightmare, I just don't know how you can handle her…'

_It seemed she could hear the young girl's thoughts, _her_ thoughts, in fact, her younger self's memories…_

'I'm not sure of what to do, it's like she won't listen to a word I say anymore!'

_Then Sora remembered, those were the last things she heard from her mother and her friend downstairs before she left. Before she ran away, never even looking back. With her feline-like ears it would have been near impossible not to hear them talking about her, about her attitude, appearance everything… and how it had changed drastically in the last few months._

_Sora stood in the midst of the crowds, remaining unseen. Looking back on this it seemed pretty stupid. Why did she think running away would be the answer? All it did was lead her to Proteus 1 and for what? Nothing. Her father moved long ago and then she ran into those blasted pirates. She was starting to doubt her choices, when the rain started to come down in torrents. To her younger self the rain was cold and cruel, but now, it seemed kind of nice despite the bleak mood in the air. Being in space all the time meant that there wasn't really any weather- besides the occasional meteor shower, of course._

_Tilting her head back to look at the rain, a black abyss in the sky came to view. The rain fell down from these dark clouds, yet it seemed the drops just appeared seconds before falling on her face. Closing her eyes, she lost herself in her thoughts which would soon be forgotten when the dream would seem to slip through her fingers when she woke up._

_Her former life gnawed at the back of her mind. In a way, she missed it –the guarantee of a place to sleep, a meal, and not even a threat of danger that a life of piracy would bring. Although, she loved her life now, the freedom of flight, seeing the open etherium before her, always feeling that sense of adventure present. Every which way her thoughts seemed to contradict themselves and she wished desperately to wake up._

The hammock swaying beneath her, she jerked awake suddenly. Taking a deep breath and sitting up straight, she finally relaxed. Already she could feel the dream slowly fading from memory, unable to be reached until sleep took her once more. The sun shined insistently and she considered trying to fall asleep again, after all, she did have watch tonight. Deciding against it, she pulled herself up and grabbed her coat, walking towards the entrance of the crew's quarters.

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About midday it was exceptionally hot out as the _Legacy_ drifted closer to a group of planets centered around a small white star; which was the reason these planets were mostly deserts. Small white dwarfs were hotter than some stars, but fairly faint.

Jim looked over his shoulder, expecting Silver to be standing there on the deck with a mile long list of chores for him to complete. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve, taking a long deep breath. The kitchen, full of steam, was the last place he wanted to be working now… if only he could escape Silver for a while longer. The boy was absolutely sure he would collapse if he had to work any longer.

Peering over the side of the ship, he took in the full view. The clouds shifted slowly and the wind pushed his hair back caused by the motion of the ship. From the look that crossed his face anyone could tell he was deep in thought. Probably about Treasure Planet or perhaps Montresser…

Even thinking about his home planet made him feel a bit homesick. But being here now, feeling the wind, seeing the universe, just the feel of excitement every time he thought about their destination overclouded the matter.

He closed his eyes for a moment, only before opening them again, looking around for the odd noise that passed his ears. It sounded like… scraping? No, maybe it was some kind of rattling noise? Jim saw nothing but again the sound continued. Then he placed it! It sounded like metal; That is to say, metal banging loudly against metal. Like…a swordfight. That was it now, the same sound he had heard as a kid from his old storybooks, the ones about pirates and Treasure Planet and things.

He walked around the edge of the deck (Morph now following him with interest) his eyes trying desperately to find the source of the noise. He came around towards the crew's quarters. This was where it was coming from. Crouching low, he peered down, and what he saw surprised him.

Both holding cutlasses, both trying to catch their breath, were Grant and Sora. Locked in combat it seemed, the swords in their hands seemed restless, eager to tear at their opponent. She moved with quickness, and somehow grace, while he moved not nearly as quick. It was apparent that in a fight, Grant valued his strength more than anything else, but both were good opponents.

Jim, of course, didn't know this, but Grant had been involved in Piracy longer than Sora had, and therefore should have been the harder opponent. But Sora was a quick learner, and she was agile also, and sometimes she would have a winning streak, but otherwise they usually were evenly matched.

The teen silently and secretly watching the fight assumed that they were practicing, and Sora's temper hadn't gotten the better of her, yet. It was amazing how each of them seemed to foretell the other's next move, the fight was moving with a steady rhythm to it even though they had to avoid the poles of the hammocks.

"When you said you wanted to practice," He grunted as their swords collided. "I thought you were the one needing it."

Sora smirked as she tried to keep her concentration on their duel. "You're loosing your touch."

Just then her sword flew up, being knocked from her hands. Grant caught it swiftly with his tail before flashing one of the most sinister smiles. "Dare to accept a rematch?" Sora asked and they started once more.

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She swung again, just missing the side of his arm. Sure, Grant was a bit too quick for her taste, but not quick enough. In less than seconds, his sword landed a few feet away with a rattling sound that made Sora's ears ring.

His tail camouflaged against the floorboards, and being invisible to her eyes, she saw it not when it creeped around her ankle. The pressure on her leg caused her to look down and when she looked back up at Grant, he held a gun in hand. It made her tense, though she knew it was just practice, and he wouldn't shoot her.

"Cheater." Sora crossed her arms over her chest.

With a quick tug of his tail, she fell. And judging by the horrifying look in her eyes, she didn't enjoy being tripped by him; especially in the direction she fell.

"Aren't we all?" His face held a large smirk, hers hovering only inches above his. Sora had had enough of him for one day, and she kicked him- hard. Grant doubled over on his side in pain, as she got up.

"Pervert." Sora muttered and sat down on a bench that was pushed up against the wall. After recovering, Grant sat down beside her, which wasn't the brightest of ideas.

"Oh, come on, you know yeh like me, eh, Sora?"

"You do realize there's an age difference by about six years, right?" She held up six fingers, probably knowing his tiny brain needed the extra visual aid. Grant rolled his eyes, and the room was drowned in silence.

Only moments later Sora pushed his green face away with the palm of her hand. "Look down my shirt one more time, and you'll find yourself one morning short a few limbs." Sora got up, wondering why she thought he would act civilized long enough so she could get some practice in. Grant stood also, about to say something, when she held up her hand to silence him. Whilst in the middle of the duel, she had pulled her hair behind her ears, to hear Grant if he cheated and blended in with the background. Now, her ears twitched as they strained to hear something inaudible to the young man standing next to her. Her hand fell to her side as her cat-like ears flattened against her head. A look of pure anger, which was seen often, came across her features.

Grant, too, listened and when she turned to him he was gone. Only the almost silent sound of his boots upon the wooden floor gave any indication that he was still in the room- at least, for the moment. One remarkable feat even he couldn't pull off was hiding his shadow. She suspected he hid himself along the shadows near the wall until he came to the entrance of the crew's quarters. Whereupon he moved quickly, throwing their audience off guard.

Morph, of course, flew away in seconds, startled by the sudden movement. Jim let out a yelp as he was pinned against the mast- again. He struggled to free himself but his captor held him fast. Though, not seeing anyone pinning him there, he believed not in ghosts or phantoms or any of the sort. Jim knew the 'invisible' reptile like alien nearly choking him was Grant, but knowing this didn't make the situation any better.

Sora rolled her eyes, let out an annoyed sigh, and made her way up the stairs. The light was blinding her, so she held her hand above her eyes. "Grant, why bother?"

Grant seemed to materialize out of thin air before her eyes; Oh! How she hated when he did that, it creeped her out so much! But she'd never let anyone know this; fear hadn't a place among pirates. "Why? Want to protect the lad? Methinks you've grown fond o' the little brat." He said, giving Jim another shove.

"Please, don't make me laugh," She said this rolling her eyes once more. "Besides, unless you want to 'spend the remainder of the voyage in the brig' then you'd better just leave the _boy_ alone." She mimicked Mr. Arrow's voice.

Jim would have laughed at this, her impression being terrible but highly amusing, had his life not been in the hands of this man. Had he looked threatening before, it was increased with Jim's new knowledge of the two before him.

He pulled the boy away from the mast, and threw him down onto the deck roughly. He sent Sora a look before he walked away, knowing this boy had seen more than Silver would have liked. She too, knew that sooner or later Jim would piece it all together, but she hoped desperately at the time that it would be later… much later… like when the mutiny was underway, perhaps?

Jim looked up at Sora, no real words being able to make their way from his mouth. "I- Th-" He looked down and rubbed his neck where Grant had nearly choked him. "Th-" Jim looked up, but making not even a sound she had left, and he didn't get to finish his reply. The sun was warm on the back of his neck as he gazed up in wonder as she climbed swiftly and silently up the rigging.

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A couple hours later, Sora climbed the swaying rigging towards the crow's nest. Her shift didn't start until after dinner, but she wasn't hungry, and needed some time alone to think anyway. She reached the top and Mr. Onus, acknowledging her presence, started to leave.

Sora placed her elbows on the edge and rested her chin on her palms. Gazing out to the sky was relaxing, watching the stars past by and everything. A star that was larger than the rest immediately caught her attention. It was Pelusa, a large star that was older than most in this part of the galaxy. Sure, it was expected to go Supernova soon, but it hadn't shown any other signs, other than that of being old and ready to go, so what was there to worry about?

Making her jump, it expanded about three times its size before her eyes, and that couldn't have been good. "Onus!"

He quickly scurried back up, and with a confused look, questioned her. "You should take a look at this." She replied.

"If it's only a small nova, then we've nothing to worry ab-" The star seemed to expand once again and several waves erupted from it. She heard him curse under his breath and then shout down to the captain who was about to retire to her stateroom.

Sora was suddenly thrown back, hitting her head against the hard wood as the first wave made contact with the hull of the ship. Groaning, she got up, noticing the sky was turning a deep orange color.

Her head still throbbing, she gazed downward to the deck where she saw Silver and Jim viewing the disaster unfolding before them. The sky was now full of deep and sinister looking reds and oranges; Ones that, unlike the lanterns in the galley, cast a horrible shadow that made one think the very ship was ablaze in flames.

Doppler commented on something to the captain, and the sound was carried up towards the crow's nest where Sora caught it, despite the noise around her. Her assumptions were correct, it was in fact Pelusa that had reached its catastrophic death.

"Evasive action, Mr. Turnbuckle!" Amelia shouted to the helmsman.

"All hands fasten your life lines!" You could always count on Mr. Arrow's booming voice over the chaos of the 'storm'. Every man brought a sturdy rope about himself with a simple, quick, but firm knot. Judging from the fact that Onus wasn't going to budge an inch, she knew he was going to stay here and keep his watch –that is if they would live through this. She watched him hang on tightly, but knew that she had to help somehow. _We've come so far for that treasure…_

Near the stern, Sora could hear the windows of the captain's room shatter. And as she looked above her, she saw the sails rip as what seemed like meteors of fire rained down upon them.In a matter seconds she was on the deck, tying her lifeline down. "Secure all sails!" Again, Mr. Arrow's voice sounded over the storm's noise and the crew's shouts. "Bring them down, men!"

Sora balanced on the yardarms with ease as she helped tie down the sails to prevent any further damage. It seemed her heart stopped… or perhaps sped up, she couldn't tell either way, as she saw Silver lose his footing on the bowsprit; ever since she met him, Silver had been like a father to her. The thought of losing him was unbearable, but his fate was not sealed yet.

Jim grabbed onto his lifeline at the last possible moment and pulled him back onto the bowsprit. She let out a sigh of relief, though this puzzled her. Jim was just a boy, and pulling up Silver must have been difficult, he could have fallen too. Not to mention if he hadn't tied his lifeline correctly he could have gotten himself lost in the weightless abyss that is outer space. Why would he risk it for a man he didn't trust? Then again, she had seen some sort of a bond between them lately; she'd been there when Jim and Silver talked on his first night here. It seemed Silver may have been able to relate to this boy, perhaps he saw a bit of his younger self in him.

The orange sky seemed to be shadowed a bit as a large piece of debris flew towards the starboard side, and had to have been more than ten times the size of the ship. The heat of it was almost unbearable as it almost hit the ship. Something behind it seemed to yank it back. As it shrank back to entire crew got a better view of what was behind it.

A black hole.

"Captain," Mr. Onus shouted, hanging on tightly as the ship was starting to be sucked in. "The star!"

"It's evolving into a black hole!" Sora rolled her eyes despite the chaos surrounding her; you could count on Doppler to state the obvious, and then give a ten-minute lecture on it, being a little too smart for his own good.

Looking towards the bridge, she saw Mr. Turnbuckle lose control of the wheel. "We're bein' pulled in!" He was knocked away but the Captain was a quick woman. She grabbed the wheel and turned hard to port, but it seemed like no use- the black hole was pulling the ship down into it.

Another wave came across the ship, knocking down Silver and Jim on the deck, and Sora nearly lost her footing while climbing down the shrouds. "Blast these waves!" She heard Captain Amelia say while struggling to keep the wheel steady. "They're so deucedly erratic."

"No, captain! They're not erratic at all!" Doppler stood by the gages; the screens were all a blaring blue color with orange waves across them. "There'll be one more in precisely 47.2 seconds, follow by the biggest wave of them all!" The whole time he made frantic gestures with his arms.

"Of course!" Amelia's face lit up. "We'll ride that last wave out of here!" Sora jumped the last bit down to the deck, her boots landing loudly. That was it! Now she was sure these two were completely insane! How in the world could this possibly work? She looked around for Silver and found him, along with the cabin boy, looking towards the black hole, all hope lost from their eyes.

She was shaken from her thoughts as she heard Arrow shout out another order from the captain. "You heard her, men! Unfurl those sails!" After some quick murmurs from the crew, they all made their way back up the shrouds to let loose the sails. Sora climbed quickly, the rough rope scraping against her skin, but she didn't pay much attention to it. All that was on her mind -all that was on anyone's mind was to get out of this alive. She fed the rope slowly, knowing if they just let it go it could damage the sails. The next wave came without warning, and Sora quickly grabbed onto one of the ropes. Behind her, Mr. Arrow had vanished… or fallen. His rope was tied nicely and it held fast as he fell. He started to climb up as his eyes widened in horror, as did Sora's; on the yardarm behind her stood Scroop, a menacing look in his eyes.

Scroop snipped Arrow's life line in one clean cut, feeling not a bit of guilt whatsoever about it. Sora wanted to make herself believe the reason why her throat was dry was that she was angry. Scroop had not followed Silver's orders, after all; but deep inside she knew it was more than that. Deep inside her inner mind she knew it, but refused to believe it, that she was afraid of death. Not afraid to die, but to see people without a fighting chance, afraid to watch others die with knowing that they couldn't even fight back or try and escape it.

"Captain!" Shouted Doppler. "The last wave- here it comes!" Sora didn't react, and wasn't even shaken from her thoughts; she still stood there on the yardarm, shocked.

"Hold on to your life lines gents! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!" The captain seemed unafraid of this all as the ship was sucked even deeper into the black hole.

The rigging swayed more than usual with the winds and Sora lost her balance, stepping back onto the deck. Two rather small arms caught hers, just near the elbows. They helped her regain her balance and when she looked up she was surprised to see Jim's reassuring face looking at hers. His touch was warm but she pulled away. Something about it ran shivers up her spine. As the _Legacy_ was thrown into almost complete darkness, she stumbled towards the fife rail, with the entire crew's lifelines trailing off of it. Silver put a protective arm around the two teens as they struggled to hang on. It was completely dark, and Sora could hear Silver and Jim's breathing from either side of her. A warm hand clasped her own and she nearly died of fright. "For luck." Jim's whisper was unheard by Silver.

And still startled she whispered back to him, holding his hand even tighter. "For luck." She repeated, though she felt it was a bit more than that.

The entire ship groaned and creaked as it seemed a large explosion came from behind the ship. It sounded similar to the burning of a bonfire, and perhaps the sound you hear when the wind is blowing directly in your ears. Warm air pushed the sails of the _Legacy_ as far as they could possibly go, and the ship was thrust forward.

Her eyes had been kept shut tightly, but now Sora opened them slowly. Many of the crew cheered in pure joy that they had made it. Sora could still hear her heartbeat in her ears but she too smiled, realizing that the captain's plan had worked. It was then she realized she was still holding Jim's hand. Pulling her hand away quickly and refusing to look up at him, she hid her blush as she walked over and swiftly caught Morph as he turned to a pile of mush in her hands.

"All hands accounted for, Mr. Arrow?" Captain Amelia stood completely unfazed by everything, holding her hands behind her back. "Mr. Arrow?" She asked once again, but the First Mate was not present.

Scroop made his way slowly from the midst of the crew, wearing a saddened expression. "I'm afraid, Mr. Arrow has been lost… his life line was not secure." Sora recalled it was Jim's duty to make sure every lifeline was secure and soon felt anger boil inside her as she found out what Scroop was trying to do.

Jim now felt the gaze of everyone on board. "No! No, I checked them all!" He ran to the mast where Mr. Arrow's lifeline was –or should have been. "But I- I checked them all, I swear." He said, turning towards the captain, who now wore one of the most hurt looks he had ever seen.

"Mr. Arrow was-" Sora could see behind the captain's brave attitude, she was now trying best not to show any tears. "A fine spacer… finer than any of us… could ever hope to be. But he knew the risks, as do we all. Resume your posts, we carry on."

Sora looked up at Jim, his eyes held a look that told her he believed it really was his fault. She wanted to say something to him, anything to comfort him now. "Jim, I-" She whispered, but he ran before she could finish. Inside, she knew he deserved to know it wasn't his fault, to know that he shouldn't blame himself for this, and judging from the look in Silver's eyes, he must have known this as well. But both of them knew that circumstances forced them not to speak of the real reason Mr. Arrow would not be seen keeping order on the ship again.

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**A/N: **

Sorry 'bout two A/N's, I had to put the other thing at the beginning and this at the end, so, whatever, it makes my brain hurt. Here you go:

**Misleading. **Jim still hasn't learned how to pick his fights and this time he might have some scars to prove it. As for Sora, she might have a heart, a bit of a caring side after all. Well, that would have to be a tiny _'bit'_ considering everything, but a _'bit'_ nonetheless. Also, we learn more of Sora's past, and past home planet, Mardella.


	7. Misleading

**A/N:**

Family over for the holidays complete chaos to my spare time. Just to add to all that crud I've been sick total writer's block. Sorry 'bout the wait, I tried making this one a little longer to make up for the wait, and I thought the fluff would make up for some of it too. But anyway, this is where I take the original plot for a spin. The next two or three chapters are all my own, well, only plot-wise.

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, or any of the characters in the movie. But, sadly, I do own Grant. Shudders He's _my_ character and _I _don't even like 'em

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The rigging swayed back and forth and the ship creaked loudly. The sky was growing dark and Silver's footsteps could be heard as he made his way over to the side of the ship, whereupon he stopped and rested his hands on the railing. Fingering his pipe, he spoke to the young man sitting in the shrouds.

"It weren't your fault, you know?" He tried to ignore Silver whilst holding a piece of rope in a failed attempt to tie it. "Why, half the crew would be spinning in that black abyss if not for-"

Jim threw the rope as hard as he could in pure frustration. "Don't you get it?" He jumped down from the shrouds, his boots landing loudly. "I screwed up! For two seconds I thought maybe I could do just one thing right, but- Aagh! I just-" Jim shouted and leaned against one of the masts. "Just forget it. Forget it."

A ghostly figure hung in the shrouds, hanging on soundlessly. They watched on, almost swaying with the headache they now had. With each word spoken by the boy a new wave of guilt washed over them. And as Sora hung on, she felt for the first time, ashamed of what she was. A pirate. A pirate was the one who condemned Mr. Arrow. And now Jim was suffering for it.

"Now you listen me, James Hawkins," She heard Silver say, turning Jim around to face him. "You got the makings o' greatness in ya. But you got to take the helm and chart your own course."

The end of his pipe poked the young man in the chest. "Stick to it, no matter the squalls! And when the time comes to really test the cut of your sails and show what yer made of…" Silver seemed to look off into the distance, as if seeing into the very future. "Well, I hope I'm there, catchin' some of the light comin' off ya that day."

Sora's keen eyesight caught the tears in Jim's eyes as he leaned against Silver. This side of Silver was rare, if not unheard of, and seeing him show this side to this boy as he returned the embrace made her heart warm. "Now," Silver coughed and they both stepped back. _Men. _Sora shook her head. _Can't stand showing any compassion. _"I best be getting about my watch, and you best be getting some shut eye."

Jim walked to the entrance of the crew's quarters. He paused to turn back to Silver, and gave a small smile before going down the steps. Silver still stood in the fading light, turning into darkness. Morph flew in from nowhere and rubbed up against the cook's cheek. "Gettin' in too deep here, Morphy. Next thing ya knows, they'll be sayin' I've gone soft." Rubbing the back of his neck, he left silently.

Sora, too, left; off to the crow's nest for her watch. She was unaware of the shadowed figure on one of the nearby yardarms.

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All day; All day he had been working and he thought that were he to work for one more moment he would collapse in exhaustion. The kitchen was terribly hot, and though the water he washed dishes in was cool, he felt the heat would surely kill him.

Hs eyelids drooped and… No! Jim jerked back awake, the plates crashing a bit loudly. He realized, while he had nearly fallen asleep, Grant and two other men were in the galley, sitting upon the benches. He caught only bits and pieces of what they were saying, but if Grant had any part in it, it couldn't have been good.

"…I just can't imagine her…" He couldn't catch enough to know whom they were talking about… at first. "…You got no chance, man."

"…As changing as a solar flare… as full of-"

"Rage? That is, when she hears you." One of the men interrupted Grant, and as this was said the room was filled with the two men's laughter.

"Strength, actually." Grant continued. "As much as a supernova… and-"

"Don't quit yer day job to be a poet, Grant. You suck." He roared with laughter along with the other man.

He wished he were unable to hear them, yet here he stood, being forced to hear the crude comments and obscene thoughts about _her _that they continued to say. It was unbearable.

Jim could feel the anger inside of him boiling up. He said nothing, and did nothing, but the plates he was washing did crash a bit louder than he meant for them to. Grant lifted his head to look at the cabin boy. "You got a problem?"

Biting his lip, he forced himself not to respond. He wasn't going to get himself beaten up by this guy, especially when he had come pretty close last time. But his anger boiled over and he couldn't help it.

"You shouldn't talk about her like that! She's not just some _girl _you can have your way with!"

The bench made such a racket when Grant stood up from the table. Reptilian eyes gave a glare formidable enough to match Sora's and again the boy considered the fact he really _did_ need to learn how to pick his fights.

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Sora pulled her coat over her head, turning over in her hammock. What in the etherium could be making that infernal racket? Reluctantly, she got up and stepped out into the blaring sunlight.

With her hearing she couldn't block it out, though no one on the deck was disturbed by the noise coming from the galley. Skipping every other step, she made her way to the source of the racket. Her ears rang from her own yelling. "Will you all shut up in here for one minute! How am I-" Her words trailed off as she laughed in disbelief and tried to suppress a smirk, as did the other two men who were watching.

Grant had a bloody nose, thanks to Jim. And Jim, well he had more scrapes and bruises already than Grant did. His lip bled slightly and his shirt was a bit bloody. It was pretty humorous, to see the two of them in a fistfight. But, her laughter died away as she realized that they weren't just trying to get a good punch at each other, both of them were hell-bent on killing one another it seemed. In an instant, Grant had Jim pinned against the wall, both of them still cursing, with his knife pressing into the boy's neck.

Sora let out a sigh as she slapped Grant on the side of his head. "What did you do now, Grant?"

Jim fell to the floor as he jerked away. Jim rubbed his neck trying to breath again. Looking up to Grant from the nearly suffocated boy, her eyes flashed with annoyance. She rolled her eyes. "What did you do, Grant?"

"Me?" He said, gesturing. "It was your little boyfriend who started it."

"What?" Sora and Jim both shouted at the same time; Though, Jim's voice seemed a bit scratchy.

Sora shook her head, sighing. "What were you fighting about? I could hear you two imbeciles from across the deck!"

Grant said nothing, but merely turned around to Jim. "Go on, cabin boy, tell her. I dare you." Jim remained silent and wiped the blood from his lip.

The two men behind them were snickering, and it could only be heard louder as Sora slapped Grant upside the head. "Idiots!" She mumbled and turned to walk up the stairs, trying not to laugh at his expression when she hit him.

"Insufferable wretch." Grant muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. Her fist shot through the air to his face, but he caught it quickly; He wondered if she was losing her touch, but this was what she had intended.

A dark black boot collided with his head as she swung her leg up. He lost balance and fell to the ground where Sora bent down to meet his face. Her eyes burned with hatred as she talked to him.

"He's _not _my boyfriend."

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Sora stepped out onto the deck and found Jim was only a few feet ahead of her. "Do you know how embarrassing that is?" Jim threw his hands up in frustration. "To have a _girl_ get you out of a fight is just, ugh!" He said, completely forgetting the reason the fight was started. He then turned around and stormed off.

"Well excuse me for helping!" She called after him, clenching her fists. "Next time- 'cause there's _bound_ to be a next time, seeing that you _still _can't pick your bloody fights- I'll be sure not to care what happens to you!"

Sure, she may have embarrassed him a little, but knowing Grant and his 'abilities', Jim could have gotten himself killed. But, noticing his shoulder, where the cloth was ripped revealing some nasty cuts, she felt a bit bad for yelling- and guilt was the last thing she wanted to be feeling now.

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Still angry, Jim sat down on the railing of the ship, one leg dangling on each side, he laid his head against the cold metal piece of the shrouds. He rubbed his throbbing shoulder and received a lot of pain doing so. Withdrawing his hand back, there was crimson blood on his fingertips.

"He's an idiot for using his knife, you know." Jim didn't have to turn around to know who it was, her regular monotone and accent gave her away. "He's a cheat, anyway."

He snorted, and nodded, still not turning to her. Hardly noticing she sat down behind him, he jumped when she gently touched his shoulder. Jumping, unfortunately, only made the pain worsen, and so did turning around to question her actions. She held some white cloth and a rag, and other various items one would find in a first aid kit.

"What're you-"

"Just shut up and stop moving." Giving his arm a shove, she caused him to turn back around. It took everything not to cry out as she wiped away the blood and cleaned his cuts. Wondering if it would have been less painful doing it himself, he groaned softly. Too late- she heard it. "Hold still- Oh come on, it's not _that_ bad."

"Why are you helping me, anyway?" He said, through gritted teeth. "I kinda got the feeling you hated my guts."

She laughed softly, and it made Jim's stomach twist and turn; he'd never heard her laugh before. "You stood up for me." She pointed out. "Despite… everything."

"I still thought you hated me."

"Well," She set down the rag and picked up the clean white bandages. "I suppose you're not _that _bad."

"You're pretty misleading." He said. It reminded her how he'd tripped her, and yelled at her, but then, despite all that, she was helping him. And even though she punched him, and also called him things he wished he'd forget- he had stood up for her. But one kind act wouldn't change anything, she reminded herself. They were still enemies in Sora's eyes, and certainly not _good_ friends in his.

"I suppose, but then again, so were you. Fighting him was one of the dumbest things you could have done, but it was pretty funny."

Jim smiled though she couldn't see it. "Nice kick, by the way."

"I've had a _lot _of practice. By the way, um, do I _want_ to know what he said about me?"

Jim swallowed. "Well, he didn't really say anything too bad- at first. You probably don't want to know."

She shrugged her shoulders, unseen by him. "It's not like I haven't heard it all before."

"If he hits on you all the time then why did he talk about you like that? Am I missing some logic here?"

She laughed almost inaudibly. "He just has no respect for women. Although, it is getting annoying, kicking his butt for it every time."

"I'm sure he enjoyed it." Jim muttered, right before feeling a sharp pain in his shoulder. "Ouch!" Though he was facing the other way, he could sense her smirking.

The girl carried on making not a sound and again it seemed they were thrown into an unbearable silence. Jim wondered why every time they spoke he couldn't keep the conversation going. What was it about her that made him so on edge?

"There you go." She said, hoping the bandage would hold and his shoulder would heal; she didn't want to add Jim's injury to her conscious.

"Uh, thanks." He rubbed the back of his neck almost nervously as he turned around. Nervously? Why would he be nervous? So, perhaps she wasn't as mean to him lately, but it wasn't like- no, that thought was just idiotic. Best to drop it.

He pulled back his hand and again it was a blood red color- so to speak. "Good grief, Hawkins." Sora caught his hand in a matter of seconds. "What did you do? Back up against the cutting board or something?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Probably." She gave a small smile that he almost missed; Her face was kept down, examining his hand. "Hang on, _Hawkins_? What, no more _Newbie_?"

Their eyes locked. "Seems you've been here long enough." She said, smiling again. He would spend more time trying to uncover that smile of hers, he decided as she started to bandage his hand.

"So, are we going to talk about something or what?"

"Like…?"

Jim had to think for a moment. "Like your jacket."

"My… jacket?" She said, pausing a moment to wonder if he had lost his mind.

"Yea, 'cause why do ya always wear it?" She tried to ask him if he _had_ truly lost his mind but he continued. "Are you trying to _ignore _the fact that you have a figure?"

He had only a split second before she responded and in that split second he realized he _really_ shouldn't have said that. Sure, it had been meant as a compliment but, knowing Sora, she would take it as sarcasm. You have to understand though, Sora (Just like Silver) was a bomb waiting to terminate. Light the fuse, and you're screwed. Both of their tempers were their _less_ charming characteristics.

"Excuse me?" She said, her voice rising.

"Uh, nothing. I didn't mean it-" She glared at him. "No! No, that's not what I meant- I…" He then realized she was smirking at him, tripping over his own words. "Oh, you're enjoying this, are you?"

She did her best to suppress her laughter and nodded her head. "Very much."

Jim sighed from relief. "Good 'cause for a moment there I though you were going to kill me." He said with a laugh.

"What? Do I suddenly have a reason not to?" Her anger was rising.

"Well, I thought since- well, I just thought that maybe- you helped me so…"

"Do you think I like you or something? That I think of you as a friend? Because I don't, nor will I ever!"

"Sorry then!" Jim shouted back. "I just thought I knew you well enough to know you wouldn't really hurt me- or at least not badly! Couldn't I expect that of you since you kinda helped me out back there? I think there's something about you I'm not understanding 'cause- I just… Aagh!"

"You don't know _anything _about me, ok?" Standing up and then walking away from him, Sora buried her hands in her pockets. "How could you possibly understand me?" She tried to walk away quickly before he could respond, but she did so without prevail.

"You're right."

Stopping dead in her tracks, she turned to look at him. "I- what?"

"You're right." He said again, softly, and then caught her gaze and looked down, suddenly finding interest in his scratched up hand. "I don't know a lot about you, but I have the feeling that I was the first one to try."

After a few moments of nothing but the sound of the creaking ship piercing the silence between them, Jim looked up; and… there she was. Standing by his side, the wind slowly pushed a few more strands of hair in front of her face. "I- um…" She picked up his hand and fingered the edge of the cloth and sat down next to him. "…Should probably help-"

Sora kept her eyes cast down, refusing to look up at him. Perhaps, it's better to say inside she was trying to deny the real reason she was still there. It was- it was because of… guilt? No, no, maybe it was just because she finally got to hang out with someone her own age, right?

Jim watched her as she bandaged his hand, still not looking up at him. He studied her face, the way some hair fell perfectly in the middle of her face, some on the sides. This was when, for the first time, he noticed her deep green eyes. Even as it was growing dim, the remaining light caused her eyes to look golden around the iris of each eye. He knew that behind them was an endless abyss of mischief and mayhem, just waiting to come out.

"Where did you get that?" His voice rang out loudly in the dead silence and startled the girl pretty badly. Her head jerked up, and she noticed he was holding her necklace with his good hand. Sora looked down at it, and realized she had forgotten she was even wearing it. "A shark's tooth, right?"

She nodded. "Yes- I got it… well, I got from a marketplace 'round the Seas of Oril."

"You've really been there?" Sora should have known his eyes would widen at that.

She nodded once again, this time blushing. "You travel a lot when you're a- um, part of a crew." It was then she seemed unsure of what to say next as she was done bandaging his hand.

"Um, would you like to take a walk?" Sora asked knowing most of the crew would be heading to supper about this time, and it was unlikely they would be spotted in one another's presence.

He smiled at her and the strangest sensation hit her. It was like the feeling you get when you're embarrassed but it was mixed with the urge to smile back at him. Had she asked that without realizing it? It seemed pretty stupid, just talking to him, anyway. Her cheeks flushed as he responded. "Sure."

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The etherium's stars lit up and shone brightly as night threatened to draw ever closer. Colored clouds drifted by and were pushed back by strong winds when the _Legacy_ sailed past them. Her rigging swayed and the ship moaned as she picked up a bit of speed with the winds. The ship seemed to float in the very clouds she sailed over.

To some, the ship in this beauty was still just a means of transportation. A way to get from A to B and nothing more. But, to the young pirate who walked along the railed ship's sides, not a care in the world, it was everything. A ship could have many definitions to her; it all depended on the timing. One, being an escape, sometimes literally, especially when trying to escape the gallows. Another being an actual home. A place to lay her head, someplace familiar to her.

Her strongest definition was one of the hardest to explain. There was just something about seeing this ship, any ship, and knowing that whatever waited ahead of their bow contained mystery, adventure, and a life to be lived. It meant freedom, in easier terms. It was knowing you might be the one behind the wheel and it was that _you _were the one planning the coordinates to wherever in the universe you wanted.

Words flowed effortlessly off her tongue and Sora realized she liked talking to him. _Him, _the skinny little teenage boy who walked on the deck beneath her. She told him everything, the places she'd been, the tales she heard when she was there. Though, she forgot to mention she had heard theses tales in old bars from pirates older and more falling apart than the creaking tubs they captained.

Hating that dead silence that seemed to lurk around the two of them, she continued her tales. And she was very surprised to find- he listened. Jim simply hung on her every word like it was the very air he breathed.

And then… it was back. It felt as if they were now drowning in the impenetrable silence that overtook them once more. It had jumped out from nowhere, now that Sora had finished her story. Her throat felt numb from all the talking and it felt she hadn't stopped for eons.

Still keeping balance, she walked along the side. The wind tugged at her hair, and she started to absentmindedly braid her hair like it usually was. That is to say, when they weren't trying to make a good impression on the captain and first mate. Grant had mentioned she looked like a gypsy with her hair like that and her overly large hoop earrings she had back then. 'Round the spaceport gypsies weren't known as fortune-telling women, talking to you about your future, and all that. Most were thieves, so, Silver made her take most of it out.

She didn't really care now; she liked it braided, up and out of her face. Lost in her thoughts, his voice once again defied the quietness of the evening and made her jump.

"It's amazing that you've been to all those places."

"I suppose, well… it really is." Her face lit up like a supernova when she flashed one of her rarely seen smiles. "It's just, my father always told me stories about those places and now I _finally _get to see them."

Jim was quiet for a moment, as if contemplating something. "Sora?"

The way he said it, it just seemed like they were best friends or something. And… she realized she liked it that way. "Yes?"

"What-" He paused again. "What was your father like?"

Now this puzzled her more than anything else today. She felt this would have been a touchy subject with him; with the fact that his father left him and his mom, it should have been. She wanted to answer him, nonetheless, but found- she couldn't. Well, not at first, anyway.

"He was- Well he was just… " It was devastating to know that you hadn't seen or talked to the ones you loved in so long that it was difficult to remember them. She said nothing for a moment, but then it clicked. " … One of the kindest people you could ever meet." _Which is ironic considering his former occupation. _She thought with a smirk.

"He hated the _thought _of him and my mom getting the divorce. He couldn't have helped it though…"

Jim's eyebrow's furrowed. "What was your mom like?"

She laughed, but he could sense the bitterness behind. "You ever known somebody…" It was as if she saw before her some painful memory. "…Who tried to control _every last bit _of your life?"

"Somebody besides teachers?"

She laughed, and instantly the painful expression vanished. "Can't argue with ya there, Hawkins." Meanwhile, Jim's face turned crimson from his new 'nick name'. "Well, she was different from that. I think it was 'cause she was _ashamed."_

Jim was afraid to ask of whom, for he had the awful feeling he knew the answer already. "Of me and my dad. But, I guess some wouldn't blame her too badly, on account of where we lived."

"Where did you live?" Sora winced. She cursed herself mentally for letting that slip. Would Jim think her any different if she told him? Why should she care? When had she _ever_ been one to care what others thought of her?

"Mardella." She said it as though it were poison upon her lips. Jim did nothing- he didn't react in the way she had expected him to. No gasp, no dirty look, nothing.

For Jim well knew that Mardella was a very _racist_ planet, one of the most racist to 'aliens' in the nearby galaxies. 'Aliens' was a very old fashioned word. Used by the first humans to roam the galaxy to describe creatures that weren't- well, human.

"My mother got a job offer, one that my family couldn't pass up." She tried to explain. "My mom had a better education than my dad ever got but… we needed the money so, we moved there. I was so young that I couldn't remember much about our old home. But I do know that a while after we moved…"

She took a deep breath, it seemed to the boy listening that it was painful for her. "You okay?" He asked with sincere intent.

"Fine." Seems he almost lit the fuse. "It's the past. It doesn't matter."

"A person's past only matters if they want it to."

She gave him a puzzled look, not knowing him to say or even think about anything but stupid childish things; that perhaps he might not even have a deeper side. But, maybe she could be proven wrong.

"Well, anyway she started listening to her new stuck-up rich 'friends." She said with a shudder just remembering them. "I guess that's when they started fighting."

He thought perhaps she wanted to stop, that these memories were painful to her. Though, she'd never admit it or show it on her face, he could see it in her eyes as if they were windows revealing some of her hidden emotions and thoughts, but not all of them.

"I never saw my dad much after they split." She cast her gaze down to her feet, but her head sprang up as she had a happy memory. "My father was actually the one who told me some of those stories, ya know."

Jim smiled, happy to see her face had lit up once more. "He told some of the greatest stories ever. They were so good, you'd think he was there to see them." _Which he probably was._ "Pirates and sailing and treasure hunts- oh, he told me great stories about Captain Flint…"

"And Treasure Planet?" Jim asked, his interest growing even more.

"Actually, he didn't tell me a lot about that, just other stories 'bout Flint. But I suppose every spacer knows that story, right?"

Jim nodded. They continued to walk until they reached the bottoms of the shrouds, where Sora had to stop and creep along the edges. But as she came to the end, she kept both feet on the railing, one hand holding the ropes to keep herself hanging in front of him. Her face was only inches from his and she spoke softly.

"Tell me."

"Tell you what?" He said with a bit of amusement in his voice.

"The story." She said as she jumped down onto the deck. Her hands on her hips, her head cocked slightly to the side, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Jim couldn't help but smile back at her. "Sure."

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**A/N:**

I had to cut this chapter a bit short just because I wanted to post it before I died of old age

**Amity.** Turns out, Jim has a much bolder side to him than he, or Sora, thought. But, could this be a good… or bad thing?


	8. Amity

**A/N:**

Not much to say for this chapter… except for this is the chapter where I stay true to the genre it's in (action/adventure/ _romance_) Hehe… And also, yay for a new summary…which still pretty much sucks…

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, the characters, or any treasure on the planet… though I have thought of asking for my birthday…

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As a story is told it can be spellbinding to its audience. If spoken with zeal powerful enough to entrance listeners, only a couple of words are enough to bring forth forgotten memories from the abyss of their minds. Some can take you to enchanted realms where everything seems possible, or some could take you to glorious kingdoms with seemingly impossible quests. Others can take you out of your own mind and into the depths of the etherium, perhaps even to other planets…

The etherium brought cool breezes upon the deck of the _Legacy_, and the fading light told that it was getting late. Not one soul was present on the deck, save for a young boy telling such a tale heard often on ships of that time, but never taken seriously. His audience sat, entranced by his words, next to him. It was a strange thought that they had actually talked through supper, so long, and not one moment of the wretched silence.

One other thought, _even_ stranger, that throughout the entire time Jim had actually gotten Sora to smile. It was just the way she smiled; its rarity was what made his stomach turn –though, in a good way.

There was brief instant where he thought she must have felt the same for she had looked up at him, as he was smiling at her, and then looked down, blushing. But it was a pointless notion that Sora might actually-

Jim realized she was staring at him. "And?" She said.

It was then he fully understood he had stopped talking. "Oh... um-" Why was he getting flustered? His cheeks turned crimson as he began talking again.

Her eyes showed the fact that her mind was a million light years away, off in the dark reaches of the Etherium, within his story. Physically, she sat on the edge, one knee tucked under her chin. The feelings she now felt were impossible to sort out. Was it the way he talked, the way that made them seem like friends that made her feel so comforted? Or was it the fact that they weren't at each other's throats for once –and didn't even want to be either.

At one point when Jim was speaking the ship lurched suddenly towards its right side. Years of living on ships gave her the balance and Sora hardly flinched. Jim, however, had sat cross-legged, with his back to the starboard side, and nearly fell over the side. Sora had to grab him by the collar of his shirt to prevent him from toppling off the edge. She couldn't suppress her laughter any longer and rather than feeling embarrassed, he laughed with her…

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Morph darted in between the ropes of the shrouds up near the crow's nest. No one was inside so it must have meant everyone was at supper. Feeling boredom creeping closer, he flew circles around the yard arms for a while. He gave a small screech of surprise as he hit some invisible barrier on the top of the yardarm. Looking around, Morph wondered where the muffled 'oof' sound had come from.

Growing bored once again, he zipped down to the galley, looking for a bite to eat…

One lone figure still stood up in the rigging, unnoticed by the two teens below them. They watched as Sora muttered something. "You are such a loser." She had said, laughing.

The man kept balance as he listened to Jim start speaking again. How was it that Sora's temper was cooled around this… boy? The cabin boy did seem to have some kind of an affect on her. And this was why the man loathed that boy.

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Sora didn't notice at first, but when Jim had nearly fallen, the bandage around his hand had come loose. He hadn't even noticed until she pointed out his hand was bleeding again. He swore under his breathe, and Sora laughed once more. She reached over and took his hand in hers. Jim hurriedly looked up at her. She didn't look up; she only looked down at his hand as she smoothed the bandage down. Why in the heavens was she stuck in this predicament?

Jim continued to speak but he seemed distracted. When it seemed it would stay in place she slid her hand away almost… reluctantly?

Jim didn't notice that. He didn't. At least, she hoped he didn't. Sora didn't get crushes. She couldn't, she wouldn't let herself. Affection was pointless. It was complete rubbish. Pirates didn't show affection… or mercy, or fear, and certainly didn't have a conscience.

"…It's said that Flint was one of the greediest pirates that ever lived. He kept all of his spoils and…" Jim looked over at Sora, again not noticing he had grown quiet. Sora didn't really seem to snap out of her thoughts until some stray hairs, that weren't in one of the many braids in the front of her hair, were tucked behind her ear.

Her head instantly jerked up and she only saw Jim looking back to her. His face was serious and she found she couldn't look away. "..And so he hid it all away on Treasure Planet..."

_What did he do that for?_

It was a bit creepy how he'd sometimes answer her thoughts. "You should tie your hair back more often, so people can see your eyes." He said with a smile.

This seemed familiar. It was like a book Sora had read. The guy says something unexpected and he brushes some hair away from the girls face, then he leans closer and…

Sora brought her legs back from hanging over the side and her boots landed on the deck. She still leaned back against the side, but she refused to look at Jim. That wouldn't have happened… no, not ever!

She had spent these past few years building up a wall around herself. She blocked others out and wouldn't let guilt set in for too long before dismissing it lightly. Throughout those terrible years she had hardened her heart for a reason. If not feeling a lot of emotion and not caring about others meant that the guilt would drift away… then it all seemed worth it.

Her conscience was broken, and the barrier would stay, Sora wasn't about to let him break through all that –even if she made Jim's life a living nightmare in the process.

"Sora?" She turned to him, his blue eyes shining in the remaining light. "Come on, I want to show you something."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her across the deck. "Huh?" _His mind must've fallen out back on Tronacor. _"Uh, Hawkins, where are you-"

They were outside the captain's stateroom. "That's it, Hawkins! What the heck are you doing?"

"Hang on." He put his ear to the door and listened. Sora didn't know that in his mind, he knew it was around suppertime so nobody would be in there, which meant the map would be sitting on the desk… hopefully.

Sora punched him in the arm. He winced, but didn't turn to her. She slapped her forehead as he slipped inside. He was dead when he got out, she'd definitely have to kill him. No, better yet, she'd watch if the Captain caught him. Did he not know his place? Didn't he know the rules? Well, she did figure him as a rule breaker, a regular teenage rebel, but this?

Jim came out after a moment holding something. Sora saw a flash of color, it was sphere shaped too….

No. Jim wouldn't show her that, would he? The map? He would have no idea what he was doing! Showing the map to the enemy… too bad he didn't know there _was_ an enemy.

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The longboat bay was almost completely dark as they walked in. Sora wrenched his hand off her wrist and it gave a sickening _crack_. "What are you doing? You've lost your bloody mind!" Jim had never seen her so mad before. It was actually kind of amusing. "Why did you do that?"

"I-"

"You can't just go in there and take that!" She then remembered she wasn't supposed to know what it was… "What the heck is that, anyway?"

"It's a map." He said plainly.

"How would you know there was a map there?"

"Well, I um…" How much would he tell her? "I was the one who… found it."

Great. Now she had to fake disbelief too. She rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. "And we're down here because…?"

Jim's smile couldn't have gotten any bigger. "I want to show you how it works."

Though her pale face was clear of any emotion at all- swirling thoughts filled her mind immediately. Why would he show her this? Well, then again, Jim didn't really know what he was getting himself into. He had no idea that he was showing one of the mutinous crew members exactly what they had been looking for.

He pressed two small buttons on one side of the sphere, then tossed it over to his other hand and pressed three more buttons. As he twisted the top of it and- whoa, hang on, how did he remember all this? Better yet- how could _anyone_ have remembered that?

Instantly the sphere clicked and each button was pulled down about an inch. Small particles of light escaped through the spaces in-between and flew towards the ceiling of the longboat bay.

Sora watched, stunned, as the light was reflecting in her eyes. She had known what the map looked like but hadn't known how it worked. It was a dazzling sight, to be sure, as the particles came together forming planets, star clusters, constellations, nebulas –all in a greenish color. She then realized she didn't see Treasure Planet.

The map must have been able to rotate for what they saw before them was only a small portion of the universe. Knowing Jim wouldn't show her their true destination, she almost sighed with relief.

If she had known the coordinates, the mutinous crew would have no need for the Captain, Doctor Doppler, or even… Jim. Why was she here? Why, when she knew that would happen sooner of later? His life was of no importance to them, as were his companions', so logically there was no reason to even be with him now. Why build up a friendship when it was a condemned one?

These thoughts, and many others, swam about in her head. She was starting to get a headache from it all when her mind snapped back into reality. Jim was now pointing out various constellations –many of which Sora knew well. Smiling, she knew there was a unique story behind each and every one.

Sora followed his gaze and saw the Star Pelusa. Well, at least, she saw where it used to be. The star was gone. It was shocking to know that this old piece of technology was actually advanced enough to keep track of where everything currently was.

Jim pointed out some other stars and Sora tore her gaze away from the black hole- though it _was_ green. The map clicked in Jim's hand and everything shifted. The star Velquar and the Cygnus Cross passed them. The Magellanic Cloud and the Lagoon Nebula drifted past and beyond that the Crab Nebula. They then came to a planet familiar to the both of them –though more familiar to Jim.

The planet Montresser floated before them.

The only thing known to the young woman about Montresser was that the inns there burned easily, other than that…

"That your home planet?"

Jim looked at it, and she realized he didn't look homesick. "Yep."

"So," Sora sat down cross-legged, leaning against the pole with a small control panel and a large lever on it. "What's it like on Montresser, Hawkins?"

The cabin boy sat next to her, his brown hair swaying with the sudden movement. "Boring." He replied, his eyes locked on the planet. "It's a mining planet. Not much excitement there."

The young man sighed. "The space port though- I liked it there."

She almost laughed aloud at his stupid grin. "I hated it there. I just hate being grounded." Jim turned to look at her. "Grounded –like when the ship's at port. If I'm not out in that open sky- well, I just don't how to explain it."

Jim knew what she meant. Being on the Legacy was one of the most exciting times he had ever had- supernovas and black holes included. "It's like- like your home, right?"

He managed to make her smile once again. "Exactly." She said.

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Even in hostile conditions friendships form. It's probably because we go through hard times, and that's when we need someone to catch us if we fall. Someone you can trust, however, is a rare find sometimes. Trust is the foundation of friendship and without it… can friends even be made?

Sora and Jim sat together on the floor of the longboat bay, watching the small green particles swirl around them. By pressing one small button they could roam and search the universe –all without leaving the_ Legacy. _Jim pressed another button and the room seemed to spin forward. But what they came to was not just some section of the nearby universe.

The temper of this young girl swelled with anger, not at the boy, but at the mere chance that they were now viewing a well-know galaxy. Among the planets located here there was Andracon, Wilcosar, Yuelro, Mardella and Proteus 1; only two of which were inhabited.

She found couldn't be mad at the cabin boy for this. Sora knew they would probably come across it. The ship moaned and shifted a bit, which finally awoke her from her mind. It was getting late- outside it must have been almost completely dark.

"I need to get to my watch." Though it was true, it felt more like an excuse.

"Oh, right…" Jim turned to look at her and found her expression was full of hate as she (literally) stared off into space. What had he done now? "What's wrong?"

As she turned to him her expression softened –a bit. "Nothing. I need to go." Sora turned and left, not looking back.

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The next day, as the _Legacy_ drifted farther from the nearest star, which could have been hundreds of light-years away, and the light faded, it seemed like a peaceful sunset to those on board. Sora flipped a page in her old book (the ones with words) with each word bringing new adventure and adding to the picture painted in her mind. Sitting behind a row of barrels, her jacket lying upon one of them revealing her dark violet sleeveless shirt, and she glanced up occasionally; checking to make sure not a soul could see her. But, try as she might, as she read on, the story occupied her mind, and closed off her senses.

A shadow crossed over her page, and she glanced up. Jim Hawkins was leaning over her shoulder. "What're ya doin' up so… um, late or is it early?" He said, remembering her 'night' watches.

"I don't get much sleep these days. And… oh, yah… Go. Away." Her book snapped shut, as he walked around the barrels. She stood up, giving him a death glare.

"I didn't know you liked reading." He swiped the book from her hands, leafing through the pages. Sora had had enough of him. It was like he was unafraid of her, ever since that fight with Grant, when she had helped him. Why did she do that anyway?

"Well that proves you don't know _much_." Snatching the book back she walked to the other side of the barrels and set it down; she then walked over to the side of the ship near the stern.

"Why were you hiding?"

"I wasn't hiding, and why are you asking so many questions?" Sora was very annoyed now, and it showed in her voice and her expression.

"Well, why didn't you want anyone to see you?"

Sora sighed. _Could this kid be anymore annoying? _"Because," She said, sighing again. "Around… um, these kinds of guys, you don't- well, gain respect by being smart, or having an education."

"Ah, and how do you earn it then?" He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. "By being tough?"

Sora shrugged her shoulders. "I guess." She took a step towards him. "Promise you won't breathe a word of this, Hawkins." As she spoke there wasn't even a hint of a threatening tone in her voice.

Jim thought this was odd, but entertaining. "Well, I don't know about that, this is pretty good blackmail." His smirk was larger than ever.

No sooner were the words out of his mouth before he was pinned against the railing of the ship. With her finger pushing his upper body back, almost over the side, she hissed at him. "If you _ever_ tell anyone, then I'll-"

"You'll what?" He asked, cutting her off, his face leaning in towards hers.

"Well, first there's always pushing you from the crow's nest." She prodded him back with her finger.

"Ah," He commented, a smirk planted on his lips.

"_Or_, I could hang you from the bowsprit." Again he 'ahhed' and moved his face closer towards hers with each threat. "Or I, I-" Sora stared to stutter, noticing how close he was. _Gosh, his eyes are beautiful. _She mentally kicked herself._ That was stupid - stay on topic! Think of another threat, dammit! _

"Then again, I could always blast yer brains out, which is always a _fun_ option." Finally, she was gaining control over her stupid girlish emotions. "And I could also-" Before she could finish, he straightened up and leaned forward, caressing her check with his fingers. Her words caught in her throat as he leaned closer and kissed her quickly.

Her body tensed up, she was caught up in this moment and couldn't fully register what was happening. Jim now felt her hand resting on his chest- but not pushing him away.

He was as good as dead –and he knew it too, as he pulled away. Sora refused to fully open her eyes as he also refused to pull away any farther. She couldn't even process this. Too many thoughts, too many feelings, too many emotions and all at the same time.

"What was that for?" She asked, her voice hardly came out in a whisper as she opened her eyes slowly.

All he could do was look at her for a moment. Then, with his hands on the back of her arms he pulled her closer to him and surprisingly enough, she didn't pull away. "I dunno…"

"You know, I might have to murder you for that." Her eyes were locked on his blue ones. Sora couldn't have looked away if she wanted to.

He was aware that her hand still rested on his chest. The cloth there seemed to burn at her touch. "I know." He pulled even closer, if that was even possible, and kissed her softly. Turns out, he was shocked even more as he realized she kissed him back.

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For the first time in so long, Sora felt vulnerable. As she deepened the kiss, her senses were dead to her. She wouldn't even be able to hear the footsteps of someone if they came onto the deck. Which, unfortunately, they did.

John Silver was emptying a vat of scraps off the side of the ship, and he chuckled as he watched Morph fly down to eat them. As he did this he heard voices. His eye automatically detected the movement, and he soon wished it hadn't. Standing near the stern, stood Sora and Jim. From the looks of it, she was threatening him, again. He could see Jim straighten up, his hands softly touching her cheek. Silver almost laughed aloud, boy was he in trouble now!

He was proved wrong though, when he saw what Jim did next. All right, now Silver was in complete shock. Who did this boy think he was? They were still just centimeters away from one another…

Silver looked away. No, No, No. This made no sense, absolutely no bloody sense. Sora would never betray them, would she? Had he not asked her to keep an eye on him? Of course he did, but not- not this. Silver rubbed the back of his neck nervously. _'Tis teenage lust, and nothin' more. _Another noise, a shuffle of feet, alerted him someone was walking up the stairs from supper in the galley. He turned to make them go back, not wanting the others to see this.

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Had Sora lost her mind? Not that Jim really minded, but, this was so unlike her. But she_, Sora,_ was kissing _him!_ Hadn't only days before this- no, minutes, she had thought of him as just an annoyance? But, maybe it wasn't always so bad to be proven wrong. Jim smiled as he kissed her. He could feel her smiling also, as he wrapped his arms around her slender waist.

As Sora smiled, she could hardly believe she was here, now, with _him. _Only days ago, she would have shuddered at the thought of this, but, her feelings for this cabin boy, just couldn't be ignored. The young man was different, he made her feel, well… she couldn't even put in words her feeling for this boy.

And that's when she came to her senses, and pulled away for a moment. She rested her head against his, but the expression she now wore was not of contentment, but of sorrow, but his face was to close to actually see this.

How could she be doing this? Jim was, well… he was the enemy. Or at least he was supposed to be. _He wouldn't be here with you if he knew what you are._ Her mind told her. _Can you honestly say he would accept you for what you are? Can you say that about anybody? How can you lie to him like this?_

One tear slid silently down her cheek and she pulled her face away from his. "Sora?" Jim's face now was killing her, he was surprised and confused; she pulled away her entire body, swiftly and without much warning.

"What's wrong?"

_What's wrong? What's wrong is I just kissed you and only seconds ago I was completely convinced I hated your guts and second, if the other pirates found out about it they'd murder us both! Not to mention to fact that if you found out about me, being a pirate, well, I can't even begin to imagine how horrible that would be._

She turned around, refusing to look at him and walked over to the side of the ship. Resting her hands on the railing she quickly remembered to wipe away the tear before he saw her. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have-"

"No." She cut him off. "It's not that, it's just…" Her voice faltered and she shook her head as he put a hand on her shoulder."Don't, please." She shrugged his hand off. "Jim, it's just… I mean-," Sora let out a sigh and crossed her arms over her chest. "_What would they_- Well… I can't. I just can't, Jim. I'm sorry. I truly am." She sadly shook her head and cast her eyes down.

"Still worrying too much about what they think, huh?"

When she wouldn't lift up her head, not even to look at him, Jim left. He ran until he reached the entrance to the crew's quarters, and leaned against the wall. Running his fingers through his hair in disbelief, he knew he was blushing terribly.

How in blazes had he done that? Why didn't she kill him for it either? And where did that bold side come from? Jim didn't know, nor did he care, he was just glad he found it. He tried to catch his breath, from running or what had happened, he never knew.

He had been aware of the fact that he _did _have some form of feelings for her. Jim wasn't sure if they mattered much or _should_ matter at all. He had wanted to do it so, well, he just did. Acting on impulse wasn't the smartest idea, but… he was still alive, wasn't he?

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"_Still worrying too much about what they think?"_

Sora kept her eyes down as she heard him leave and she felt like collapsing. Looking up, she found he truly left, and it seemed she felt almost… heartbroken… when he did; She could still feel his hands around her waist, his lips covering hers and she wished desperately that he would come back. _Maybe, I_ _do. _Sora thought. _No! Just stop thinking about him! How could he think he could do that? You should have killed him for it! _Her mind was arguing with her, and quite frankly, it was giving her a headache. She finally decided that someone must have spiked her drink at lunch, which would account for her idiotic actions. _Probably Grant._

The little voice spoke up again._ But you enjoyed it, didn't you? You can't lie to _yourself!

Sora kicked the side of the ship in frustration._ Of course I can!_

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**A/N: **

Was the fluff even decent? I, personally, thought that it could have been better… anyway; I'm not sure what to do for Chapter Nine. I can either do another chapter with some better fluff (I have some better ideas for it) or I could just go ahead to the purp barrel scene. So, whatcha think? Plz Review!

**Decadence** Tensions are at their worst between the two teenagers and even Silver notices it. Meanwhile, the mutiny may be lurking just around the corner…


	9. Decadence

**A/N:**

Alright, I changed the summery for this chapter. Shoot me. Well, I really liked this one, hope you do to or whatever…

Disclaimer: Man, these things get boring, don't they? OK, I don't own Treasure Planet or anything in the movie. But_** If **_I did… oh the possibilities…

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Someone once said that emotions can be hard to understand. Feelings, especially if felt for another person, are most likely to be so. They can swirl around in your mind until you can't take it anymore and _have to _figure them out. Ignoring these feelings, however, is one of the worst choices. Bottling them up will surely cloud the mind and shroud one's true thoughts in darkness…

Sora rested her head in the palm of her hand; her mind was deep in thought. The cheers, the chants, the shouts and all other noises of the galley were pushed out of her mind. She could not hear them. Over the past week not one word was said between the lookout and the cabin boy. Well, maybe just _from_ the lookout.

Countless times he had tried to talk to her. Yet, each and every time she ignored him. It was as if to her he did not exist. But why was she worrying so much about him? The mutiny _was _going to happen, there was no stopping it. This boy was probably going to die anyway, wasn't he?

The table shook as a plate was set down noisily. Someone sat beside her. She hoped desperately that it wasn't Silver. Every time she ignored Jim in front of him, he would give her a look like he knew something she did not. Soon, she had begun to suspect that he had seen her and the cabin boy alone on the deck. She felt so stupid! How could she have just done that?

The man next to her placed a hand on her shoulder, and then, surprisingly, spoke with _real_ concern. "Sora? Are yeh alright?"

Shivers were sent up and down her spine, not because of his cold touch, but because she recognized that voice which she despised so greatly. It was Grant. It was then that her brain pulled her back into reality and she no longer seemed in a daze.

She looked at him with hate in her expression. "What do you want?"

"What?" Trying to look hurt, he almost started laughing. "I can't ask how you're doin'?"

"No." She said in a monotone.

His silverish hair was long enough to where it fell in front of his eyes. He brushed it away and put his arm once again around her shoulders. "Ever since that fight between me and that cabin boy you've been acting different."

She shuddered at his touch and looked into his cold eyes. "So you're sayin' that you care or something?"

"Why can't I?" He retorted.

She stood up and shook his arm off. Grabbing her cup, she said, "You've never cared, Grant." Pouring the entire contents onto his head, she didn't even smirk. Behind her, the men laughed as Grant calmly wiped the juice out of his eyes, sighing.

She walked back toward the stairs, and unfortunately the cabin boy was walking in the opposing direction, his arms loaded with plates. Oh, this could be fun. Silver gave her a questioning look as she walked by. She only threw the cup onto the stack, making it sway and earning a glare from the boy. _This _made her smirk.

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A crisp and clear new day met the _Legacy _and her crew. One could literally feel the complete peacefulness the day brought. That is, until she awoke.

Sora lay awake, staring at the ceiling. It was past about mid-day and she just couldn't fall back asleep. She knew, though, if she got up and around now, she wouldn't have to see Jim at supper. Why did she have to avoid him? Maybe it wasn't him; maybe she was just avoiding those stupid emotions and feelings of hers that she felt every time she saw him.

She walked onto the deck, the contrast in light making her squint. Walking to edge, she could feel the humidity in the air. The constant cool breeze swept across the deck and made it less of a burden. The wind pushed her hair around violently as she climbed easily and slowly up the rigging. Sora stopped just above the shrouds, only about ten feet above the deck. Facing the open sky, she wrapped her arms around the ropes behind her. Though the rigging would sway with the winds, she hung on, once again lost in the relentless thoughts that she couldn't seem to get rid of.

"Miss Thompson." Sora jumped, for now below on the deck beneath her was the captain.

The young woman scurried down the ropes with almost as much grace as the captain herself. She quickly went up the stairs, wondering why the captain would be talking to her. "Yes? Er- Yes, M'am?"

Captain Amelia stood in a stately manner as she almost always did. "I have been informed that our only two longboats have been damaged from our little run in with Pelusa's supernova."

_What? But I was down there! _That wouldn't have been very smart to say, though. She held her tongue –for once.

"It's been brought to my attention that you are the closet thing we have to an engineer on this voyage. Apparently you would know something about fixing said longboats."

"Uh, sure." She said, before mentally slapping herself. "Aye, Captain."

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The daylight shone down from the deck and into the galley. It was completely silent except for the steady rhythm of Silver's many knives upon the cutting board. He seemed pretty concentrated on his work while whistling some strange tune. Jim sat on the edge of one of the benches, peeling potatoes. He did so very slowly; apparently, his mind was elsewhere.

He rested his aching arm on the side of the table, thinking about a particular lookout. He really _did_ miss talking to her, but wasn't really sure why. Maybe it was the fact that they could relate to one another, at least a little bit. He glanced at the cook, whose back was turned to him. Jim was nearly done, so why not take a break? He crept quietly out of the galley. He _had_ to talk to her.

After a few moments of looking he grew quite irritated. This was a ship for crying out loud! It's not like she could have gone anywhere. He then thought of the longboat bay…

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He walked down a dimly lit hallway and then looked in through the doorway at the end, and sure enough, there she was. Both longboats appeared to have minimal damage. That is, until Sora pulled up a small metal hatch on one of the engines. Smoke billowed out of the opening and her curses were muffled by the sound of the engine. She turned it off and the smoke slowly faded. Morph zipped in from nowhere and flew circles around in the air while watching the young girl working on the engine.

Morph, losing interest, flew back toward the hall. He flew around Jim's head once and then disappeared down the hallway. Sora's gaze hadn't followed the little blob, and she hadn't seen Jim. He nearly sighed in relief, but remembered that if he even moved she would probably hear him. He was trapped.

Sora sighed loudly and walked around the side of the longboat. Leaning over the side, she flipped a small switch and the engine started. No smoke was a good sign -at first. The engine shook, and then the power cut out completely.

She sighed once more and sat down on a small bench, which resembled a foot-stool. Jim watched her as she reached inside the hatch and pushed aside some wires. She suddenly retracted her hand, her ears twitching, but she did not turn around. Continuing to work, she acted as if nothing had happened.

"I know you're there." Her voice pierced the silence. She continued to work without turning to him.

Jim sighed, a smile on his lips even though he knew this young woman before him hated his guts. He walked into the longboat bay, uncertain of why she wasn't yelling at him.

"Do you constantly feel the need to pester me?"

He chuckled almost inaudibly and sat next to her. "Maybe." She didn't respond, but instead kept the angry and irritated look on her face. A few more wires were pushed aside by her hands when the engine suddenly came back. A small flash of blue energy seemed to jump from the wire she had her hand on. She winced, muttering obscene curses and held her hand in her lap.

"You should try turning _off _the power before doing that." Jim smiled and she knew he was just kidding. Nonetheless, she continued to scowl. Her expression suddenly changed –in fact it softened. She looked as if she was about to say something, like she _really needed_ to say something. Yet she remained quiet.

The bench screeched against the floor as she got up, grabbing a small toolbox near her feet. The tension in the room seemed unbearable as she decided to work on the other engine and kept her back turned.

Of all people, why him? Why did he have to come and talk to her now? The one thing she wanted right now was to be alone. Sora took a deep breath and turned to him. "Hawkins, why are you-"

She stopped mid-sentence. Jim stood on the other side of the bench, his back turned to her. In his hands was a book, and he was now flipping through the pages. "Hey!"

Jim didn't look up, he just continued to look at the book. Sighing, she gave up on him and just continued working. He looked over at her for a moment before looking at the other books she had in the bag. She had only four, two being in the horror genre, one being filled with handwritten detailed star charts, and one of them was nonfiction. He flipped open this one, the text inside was so confusing one may have thought it was another language entirely. The fact that half the pages were filled with a tiny handwritten scrawl had nothing to do with it. Yet somehow, before Jim's eyes it all made sense. He then laughed quietly. She turned to him, with the normal angry expression of course.

"What?"

"Nothing." He replied, smirking.

She walked over, took the book, and hit him over the head with it. "Hey! What was that for?"

"Just stop taking my stu- just… stop it." She yelled now. "It amazes me how annoying you get!"

Jim was smirking, and trying not to burst into laughter. That was it right there! That was what annoyed her so much! It was the fact that she could yell at him and he'd just be standing there, not hurt –but amused. The sound of the book slamming shut echoed throughout the room. She threw it back into the light brown bag from whence it came, and put the book back under the bench.

"I could've helped you with that, you know. " He was referring to the fact that her book was filled with diagrams and detailed layouts of longboat engines.

"No."

"Why not?"

"No."

"Those engines are a lot like the ones in solar surfers, so I could've-"

"I got that book years ago; I can fix this just fine." She seemed to start paying attention. "You solar surf?"

"Well, uh, yah... I guess." Jim smiled awkwardly.

Sora looked close to letting slip a smile. "You being modest or do you really suck?"

Jim laughed. Sora sat down on the bench and actually smiled. "I tried it once." She paused for a moment. "And broke my leg in three places."

Both seemed lost for words now. They had been so close to an actual conversation since… well, _that_ night and now they couldn't speak. Sora stood up and walked back over the longboat. It was a while before Jim just couldn't take it anymore. He had to break this tension between them –and the silence.

"Sora?"

She stopped working for a moment. "What?" She was clearly irritated.

"Look, I-" He sighed. "I guess it's just… well, I know you're still mad at me." Sora turned back towards the engine, not wanting to look at him face-to-face. "And I- I know I had no right to do that so-"

"Please," She interrupted, speaking softly. "Don't apologize."

"Who says I was going to?" He tried to force a fake laugh.

"And please don't turn this into a joke." Her voice was serious and he felt a bit ashamed.

"What am I supposed to do?" He asked. "You won't talk to me like before-"

"And I have a good bloody reason for that too!" She turned, grabbed her bag, and started towards the door. "I just can't believe that you would-" She stopped, only feet from the door and spun on her heel. "Why _did _you do that, anyway?"

Jim stood up straighter, though he felt positively sick. "Because…I-"

"What?" She crossed her arms. "Well, go on then."

"Because, I guess… I like you…." _What? _Her mind shouted "I just… I do, alright?"

_No, not alright!_ She didn't want to hear that. She definitely didn't want to know that. The need to leave the room grew larger in that instant and she turned to try and leave. Almost to the door and- Jim grabbed her by the arm. She turned to him quickly, a fierce look in her eyes. "Let go."

"No." He refused to look away. "Please, just listen to me for a minute."

"Let…go…of me…now." She said slowly, clearly trying to refrain from yelling again.

"Sora, please…" His grip loosened a bit, as he didn't want to hurt her.

Her bag dropped from her other hand. It appeared she was going to smack him, or punch him –both of which wouldn't have been pleasant considering the strength she gained in her years of piracy. Instead though, her hand reached behind her back to her belt. A gully, the same one that had almost chopped Jim's ear off, was tied loosely to it.

Her fingers instinctively gripped it, ready for whatever came next. But, her hand suddenly felt numb. She couldn't do it. Fear crept into her thoughts as she realized this. Was it something about his gaze, locked with hers, that made her unable to draw out her knife? Her hand dropped to her side as he spoke. "Since when have you ever cared about what people thought of you? I think I know you better than that. Is this really all because you care about what those guys think?" She looked away. "Sora?"

"So what if it is?" Sora lashed out, yelling loudly now. "You just-"She pulled her arm out of his grasp but didn't leave just yet. "You just don't get it! So what if I care? They're the first people who accepted me for what- for who I was!"

She felt better, finally saying it. Jim must have known this because he didn't yell back at her. Opening her moth to say something, she realized her mouth was dry. No words came out and nothing was said.

"Who were you, then?" He spoke softly as he stepped closer, lifting her chin and forcing her to look at him. But the moment didn't last long, as most moments don't.

A door swung open on rusty hinges at the end of the hallway. Whoever it was wouldn't have been able to see them unless they opened up the half-opened door at the other end. Their voice was clearly definable as Mr. Onus'.

"Sora? Yeh down there?" His voice echoed.

"Yes." She answered, barely even looking away from Jim.

"'Tis your watch." Thankfully, he stayed where he was and didn't come into the longboat bay.

"Oh- right. I'll be there in a moment." Sora closed her eyes for a moment and then turned away, heading for the door. Not even glancing back, she stepped into the hallway. Mr. Onus was gone, probably off to supper with the rest of the crew. She stopped halfway, remembering her bag.

Back in the longboat bay, Jim sat down on the small wooden bench. With his elbows on his knees, he rested his head in his hands. He shouldn't have tried that. It was a stupid idea to try and talk to her. He sighed… right before he felt someone kiss his cheek. Startled, he turned around, only to see Sora walking back towards the door.

With her bag slung over her shoulder, she stopped in the doorway. She turned around and spoke in almost a whisper. "Thanks."

Jim stood up, confusion overwhelming him. "For what?"

Sora smiled, but didn't answer. She turned silently and left, the darkness beyond the doorway swallowing her up.

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Someone was running on the deck.

The noise clearly reached her easy and it couldn't have been mistaken for anything else. But who would be up so early? Dawn had arrived quickly, and Mr. Onus was already on his watch. Who else was awake beside the two of them? Sitting upon the counter in the galley, Sora would find her answer soon enough. It was Jim. It had to be, for the footsteps were too light to be that of one of the men.

She was startled when Morph flew through the wooden hatch in the ceiling obviously being chased by the cabin boy. Looking up, morning light stung her eyes; she watched the little pink blob change into some kind of freaky-looking fish. The young man had tripped and was on the deck, resting his head on his arm. Morph squirted water in his face and then ducked back down as Jim tried to grab him.

"You little squid!"

Instead of trying to grab the little shape-shifter every time he popped up, he resorted to trying to whack him with his boot; Meanwhile, Morph repeated his insult. "You little squid! Little squid!"

The pink blob gave a small happy shriek before flying down into the galley, and into the purp barrel. A few moments later Jim came stumbling down the steps, whilst trying to get his boot on. She laughed at how stupid he looked right then.

Jim smiled back at her, surprised that she wasn't asleep already. What surprised him even more so was that she was wearing white. Well, a white peasant style blouse. It seemed to contrast with her dark black hair, still in many small braids. The black beads at the ends of some of them click against each other as she shook her head, laughing at him.

"Wh-"

Sora cut him off, putting her finger to her lips. She tilted her head in the direction of the barrel, a mischievous look on her face. Jim nodded, trying not to laugh out loud. Creeping over to the wooden barrel, he tried to be silent. He peered over the side when one of the purps looked back up at him.

"Busted!" Sora slapped her forehead as he jumped in after Morph. The young woman's smile faded as she heard footsteps; someone was coming into the galley! The other female pirate, the densadron, Mr. Scroop and uh… pretty much the entire crew walked into the galley. They were accompanied by John Silver and already seemed deep in conversation.

"Look," The woman said, "What we're sayin' is we're sick of all this waiting!"

"There's only three of them left." The desadron's low voice echoed loudly.

_No_. It was now that Sora realized what was happening. Having them talk like this when Jim was here could, well, be a bit of a _problem._

"We are wanting to move!'

Silver's voice grew loud. "We don't move until we've got the treasure in hand!"

Inside the barrel, feelings of regret, betrayal, and realization all hit the cabin boy at once. _They can't be…_

"I say we kill 'em all now." Mr. Scroop hissed.

Silver's robotic arm grabbed Scroop's neck. Normally, one would've found this amusing; This 'punishment' for disobedience. Now, though, the atmosphere in that room felt foreboding. "I say what's to say! Disobey my orders again like that stunt yeh pulled with Mr. Arrow and so help me, you'll be joinin' him!"

Scroop was thrown into the side of the purp barrel. Sora couldn't breathe, couldn't think. If Scroop were to look down…

Jim grabbed Morph to keep him from flying out and giving him away. How could this have happened? How could the crew be pirates? But, the fact remained that this _was_ indeed a mutinous crew, and they hadn't even suspected it. Especially Jim.

"Strong talk, but I know otherwise." Sora held her breath as Scroop reached inside the barrel. _Please don't look down. Please don't look down!_

"You got something to say, Scroop?" Silver asked.

She felt she could breathe again when Scroop brought his claw back with a purp in it. Imagine, if she was scared for Jim, just think how scared he must have been! Scroop could have easily snapped the boy's neck –or any other bone in his body.

"It's that boy…" Scroop said menacingly. "Me thinks yeh have a soft…" He punctured the purp easily. "…spot for him."

Murmurs of agreement form the crew filled the room. As if things weren't bad enough! Now the crew was turning on Silver! "Now mark me, the lot of ya. I care about one thing and one thing only: Flint's trove!" The pirates exchanged glances. "You think I'd risk it all for the sake of some nose-wiping little whelp?"

Sora winced. Why did Jim have to hear all of this?

"What was it now?" Scroop had an evil look on his eyes. "'Oh, you've got the makin's of greatness in ya…'"

"Shut yer yap!" Shouted Silver. "I cozied up to that kid to keep him off our scent, but I ain't gone soft…"

"Fine then…" Scroop exchanged a look with Grant before turning to Sora "Now, what about you, Sora?"

She threw him a disgusted look. "What about me?"

"Surely you gents noticed she's been _absent _from dinner the past few nights." The crew remained silent. "…the same goes for the cabin boy."

There were whispered muttering from the crew. How could they agree? "Sora," He hissed. "Do tell us where the two of yeh were." He had a fake and sinister smile on.

"What?" She slid off the counter. _That sick b-_ She shook her head. _I can either betray Jim and deny it or-_

"Well?" He asked. Sora glanced over at Grant, whose face held actual concern.

Then, because of some of the men's snickering, she realized some of them took what Scroop said the wrong way. "You sick little bug-brained-" Grant restrained her from punching the spider-like creature. She tried to pull her arm away from Grant's grasp, but failed. Then, turning to Scroop, her anger got the best of her, she forgot about their hidden audience. "I can't believe that you'd think that I'd spend one second of my time with that good for nothin' little brat!"

Scroop was about to respond when Mr. Onus called out from above the deck. "Planet ho!"

Most of the pirates made a mad rush for the stairs. Grant let go of Sora's arm and left with the rest; all of them completely dismissed their conversation for the time being. Sora and Jim were alone in the galley.

Jim slowly and quietly climbed out of the barrel, not looking at Sora. When she caught a glimpse of his face she felt sick. She had never seen someone look so… hurt.

"Jim?" She didn't know why she finally said his first name, but it worked. He seemed to jump back from his thoughts. "Jim, please, you have to understand-"

"No." She couldn't blame him. He would never be able to see this through her eyes. He shook his head, almost laughing at himself, disgustedly. "All this time…"

"Please listen to me-" She begged, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

He shrank back from her touch. "All this time and I actually…"

He looked up at her again. She almost winced again when he did. She had never felt this bad before. There just had to be something. Something to make this all right again. But in her heart she knew there was nothing.

Jim ran up the stairs –only to have Silver blocking his way. "Jimbo…" Silver said, looking around. "Playin' games…are we?"

He backed up against the table, his anger growing. "Yeah." He glanced over at Sora quickly before turning back to Silver. "Yeah, we're playin' games."

"Oh," It all seemed to make sense now in the man's mind. "I see, well, I was never much good at games." From where she was standing, Sora could see them both perfectly. She now watched in horror as Silver's mechanical hand was replaced with a pistol. "Always hated to lose."

"Hmmm…" The cabin boy said quietly, grabbing a knife on the table behind his back. "Me too!"

Silver cried out as the knife was plunged into his leg. Air spilled out from his robotic leg and he could hardly stand. But where was the boy? Where had he gone?

He pulled himself to the deck and looked around, his cyborg eye spinning madly. It only caught a glimpse of Jim as he ran into the captain's quarters, slamming the door. "Blast it all!" He muttered under his breath.

Still in shock, Sora watched as he stood as best he could and whistled loudly. Halfway up the galley stairs, she heard those words she had dreaded more than anything. "Change in plans, lads." He shouted, a sword replacing his pistol. "We move now!"

_No!_ This couldn't be happening! Nothing changed, though, as Silver barked out orders. "Strike our colors, Mr. Onus."

He tipped his hat. "Me pleasure, Captain!"

Sora felt out of place as the pirates ran on the deck. Most were grabbing all sorts of weaponry. Something still tugged at the back of her mind.

This was wrong.

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"Pirates on my ship?" Captain Amelia was appalled. "I'll see they all _hang!" _

Much was happening now, but Jim couldn't focus on it all. Pirates? How could this be happening?

All this time, Jim had trusted Sora. She was different than most people he knew. She hadn't wanted him to change. His mother, the cops of course, and even Doppler had all wanted him to change. It seemed the world wanted him to be different. He cared about her, and he knew it- that was why it hurt so badly when the crew's real intentions were revealed. 'A good for nothing brat' she had called him…

A globe of some planet exploded as a plasma-bullet shot through it, making Jim jump. "Um, no." Doppler was saying. "No, I'm not."

"Mr. Hawkins," Amelia turned to him now, holding the map in her hand. "Defend this with your life."

She tossed it to him right as Morph flew in between Jim and the sphere. The mischievous little blob caught it easily in his mouth. "Morph, no!" Jim said, trying to pull it away. "Give me that!"

As he said this muffled voices and other sounds could be heard from the other side of the door…

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Silver was getting irritated and everyone knew that couldn't have been good.

He pushed some of the men aside from the door. If they couldn't get the darned thing open then he would have to do it himself! "Oh, you're takin' all day about it!"

In one blast the door was literally blown of the hinges. Nothing but bits of splintered wood remained. They rushed in quickly, only to find an empty room. And a giant hole in the floor.

Silver's temper was at its limits. "Stop them!" He shouted, shoving one of the men down into the hallway beneath the gaping hole.

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Sora ran into the longboat bay as fast as her legs could take her. The scene unfolded before her and she stopped, her braids swinging forward. Breathing heavily, she saw the second walkway had been smashed. The Captain and Doctor Doppler were in a slowly lowering longboat. Where was Jim?

She jumped when, now beside her, Silver pushed back the lever and the door beneath her slowly began to close. He, too, saw the young man now trying to get Morph to give him back the map. Fear shot through her. Would Silver resort to hurting the boy just to get the map?

Both Jim and John Silver stood on opposite sides of the wooden platform; both trying to convince the pink shape shifter to relinquish the map. Neither prevailed.

Morph, his mind jumbled in confusion, flew down and into a pile of ropes, covering himself and the map. Silver tried to reach it first, but his mechanical leg gave out. He tripped, but he could still reach it. Jim had been so close…

_Bang! _A bright green light flew past, more resembling a mass of energy or electricity than the bullet it really was. It was apparent as the bullet rushed past Silver, only inches from his finger, that it was not intended to hit.

It did, however, accomplish the goal of getting the cyborg to retract his hand. Jim grabbed the map, backing away quickly towards the longboat and, incidentally, saw who his real aid was.

It had been Sora.

She had… helped him? Silver turned to look behind him, but saw no one. There was nothing there save for a couple of rows of barrels and crates. From the concealment of the shadows she watched as Silver raised his gun, and she heard it power up. She was surprised when he lowered it, shaking his head and watching the cabin boy jump into the longboat. Instantly, Doppler and Amelia shot out the cables and the boat fell, just as Jim grabbed onto the side. He was pulled in by Doppler, and the boat tilted forward. Logically, it would fall forward and into the atmosphere of the planet, where they could then escape easily. What they didn't suspect was that the door was closing too quickly. If it wasn't opened fast enough, the door would crush the longboat in half.

At the last second, the door shifted, and was opening. The boat fell, and the Captain quickly turned the engine on. As he looked up, Jim had no doubts about who had opened it. He just didn't know _why. _Sora watched them fall for a bit before leveling out. She sighed in relief.

She was then pushed to the ground from behind. "Did you see that?" Scroop's menacing voice hissed. "She _is_ a traitor."

She got up quickly, growing angry. Silver, Grant, Scroop and some of the other pirates stood around the room. "What the devil are you ranting on about now?"

"Yeh all didn't see her help that boy?" He grew frustrated since none had seen it but him. "She's a traitor, I'm tellin' yah!"

Grant stepped in between them before Sora could create a reply using her… colorful vocabulary. "If _she'_s a _traitor_," He said. "Then _you_ might as well be a _girl_, Scroop." His sarcasm received no laughter.

Sora pushed him aside. "This is pure rubbish and you know it!"

"Belay this!" Silver shouted. "Up to the deck now, yah scurvy lot!"

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Only a few moments later, every man -and woman- watched as the lazerball from one of the canons collided with the escaping longboat. Boy, would Sora hate to have been the one who shot that. She grew worried when she saw smoke coming from the area where their longboat had disappeared into the foliage.

Were they alright? Then again, luck _had_ been on their side: Silver hadn't shot Jim. They _did _escape –and with the map, too! Surely they would be okay. Sora gripped the railing so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her breathing had slowed, yet she felt her heart had never beaten this fast. Rage and anger swelled inside her, but it was not directed at the 'captain', now shouting orders. It was at herself.

How could she have let this happen? If she had told Jim to go away then he wouldn't have heard them, and this wouldn't have happened. But in reality, wouldn't that have just prolonged this? The anger was replaced by fear once again as she realized a fall like that could have really damaged the longboat –along with everyone in it. What if Jim was hurt? What if he was_ dead_?

Meanwhile, Grant had been standing only a few feet away on the railing, his arm wrapped around the ropes of the shrouds. He tore his gaze away from the pillar of smoke rising from the dense jungle as Swenson handed out some extra ammunition. Grant loaded his gun and it clicked loudly.

"And so it begins, gentlemen." He laughed along with other men. Most of the men were just happy enough now that their voyage was getting some action.

He looked over to Sora, who looked sick, her skin paler than usual. She was looking out at the planet, no emotion on her face. As he spoke, she jumped, completely startled. "Did yeh hear Silver?"

She looked confused. "Huh?"

"We're goin' down there and Scroop is stayin behind to watch the ship." Grant looked at her questioningly.

"Oh- right, sure…"

He handed her a pistol. She looked down on it as if she had never used a gun before in her life. But then the fierce look came back and she looked sure of herself. She looked straight into his green eyes.

"Right," She said, walking past him. "Let's go."

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**A/N:**

Please review! If you're a writer then you know how nice it is to get some pretty little reviews and how happy it makes you inside…

chirp chirp That had to be the gayest thing I've ever said… err, wrote… smacks head Bad! Bad!

And, yes, I am aware that my attempts at humor pretty much suck.

**Misinterpretations.** The friendship is torn, yet neither of them can let go. Jim thinks he hears how Sora really feels, that is until Grant comes along…


	10. Misinterpretations

**A/N: **

Another long chapter…

Disclaimer: How many times does it take to get the point across? I don't own Treasure Planet. If I did then this would have been an original and not a fan fiction :)

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The landscape was one of a kind for sure. The trees, at least they resembled trees, looked more like some sort of giant mushrooms. Scattered all around the ground were other fungus like plants too foreign and alien to even begin to describe. One could surely get lost in the many shades of green of the forest.

With the clouds turning a soft peach color, it was nearing the end of the planet's day. Then again, with time being different on many planets, it was hard to tell. A particularly large cloud drifted overhead a large valley, and in the center of this valley lay a large egg-shaped building. It had protrusions coming off of it, probably some kind of air vents or windows or even rooms. In the middle of this odd building was a circled opening. The entire place had moss or some type of growth making its way up the sides and hanging off of the opening.

Jim gazed out of this opening, across the field, and up into the sky where the _Legacy_ stayed motionless. Behind his back, he could hear the mindless ranting of B.E.N. His first impression of the crazy copper-colored robot stranded here was that he was… well, crazy. But now, at least when he remembered things, he didn't seem so bad. He had helped them out by letting them hide in his home… but Jim knew that deep inside that robot's mind was more help than he could imagine. This unlucky fellow had been stranded here for 100 years, he had even met Captain Flint, and yet he remembered only bits and pieces. When Jim had mentioned the treasure, B.E.N. had said something about it being buried in the Centroid of the Mechanism. But, if only the robot had remembered it all…

He heard Doppler make some comment about the marking at the top of the dome. "Look at these markings; they're identical to the ones on the map. I suspect they are hieroglyphic remnants of an ancient culture."

Amelia cut him off before he could continue. "Mr. Hawkins, stop anyone who tries to approach." She then winced as the wound in her side caused her pain when she tried to sit up.

"Yes, yes, now you listen to me." Said Doppler. "Stop giving orders for a few milliseconds, and lie still."

"Very forceful, Doctor." She said with a smile. "Go on say something else."

It was at this moment that Jim felt like gagging. He nearly jumped when, behind him, B.E.N. jumped up and down on the edge of the entrance. "Hey, look, there's some more of your buddies! Hey fellas we're over here!"

He could hardly believe it, that stupid robot was going to be the death of all of them! Bullets, aimed at B.E.N., were shot without much aim, as Jim pulled him out of the way. He shot a few himself, yet his aim wasn't much better.

"Stop wastin' your fire!" He could hear Silver shout. Jim reloaded the gun and could hear it powering up as Silver shouted once more. He took a deep breath, fully realizing he had seen Sora down there. Oddly enough, her good aim had _somehow_ failed. "Hello up there! Jimbo?"

He took a chance and glanced outside where Silver, with a bit of trouble, climbed up a small hill and came into plain view. "If it's alright with the captain, I'd like a short word with yeh. No tricks, just a little palaver."

The young man turned back towards the captain and Doctor Doppler. "Come to bargain for the map." She said, trying to sit up. "Doubtless, pestilential…"

"Captain…" Doppler said in a warning tone as she lay back down.

"Wait, that means…" Jim said, smiling. "…that he thinks we still have it."

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Just before He had gone to talk to the boy, Silver had whispered quite clearly his orders to go back to the longboat. Despite that though, behind a large vine, and when I say large I mean thicker than the masts of the _Legacy_, stood Sora. She tried to balance on the many roots underneath her feet, and kept a close eye on the former cabin boy and cook. The shadows cloaked her figure and made it impossible for anyone to see her. She was scared, and she knew it. She was afraid Silver might pull something… and Jim would suffer for it. And because of this thought, her eyes never left the two of them…

As Jim stepped close, Morph flew past him and nuzzled up against Silver's cheek. "Ah, Morphy! I wondered where you went off to." Morph darted between his fingers as Silver sat down upon a large moss covered rock. He inspected his mechanical leg for a moment. "This poor old leg's been downright snarky since that game attack we had in the galley, eh?" He said with a smile, though in return he received only a glare from the boy.

Silver sighed. "Whatever you heard back there… at least the part concerning you, I didn't mean a word of it." Jim remained expressionless. "Why, if that bloodthirsty lot had thought I'd gone soft, they'd have gutted us both."

"Listen," He said, putting an arm around Jim's shoulders. "If we play our cards right, we can both walk away from this… rich as kings." A smile grew upon his lips as Jim put a hand on his chin in thought.

"Yea?" Jim, too, smiled.

"_You_ get _me _that map and, uh… an even portion of the treasure is _yours_." Silver finished, holding out his hand.

Jim sighed, his smile fading. "Boy, you are really… something." He said, walking around him. "All that talk of greatness, of light comin' off of my sails… what a joke."

"Wh- Now see here, Jimbo-"

"Well, at least you taught me one thing. Stick to it, right?" He cut Silver off. "Well that's just what I'm gonna do. I going to make sure you never see one droubloon of _my_ treasure."

"That treasure is owed me, by thunder!" Silver shouted.

"Well try and find it without my map, by thunder!" Jim retorted, his voice also growing.

"So, you still don't know how to pick your fights, do ya boy? Now, mark me, either I get that map by dawn tomorrow or so help me… _I use the ship's cannons to blast ya all to kingdom come!"_

He turned to leave, only to glance back at Morph. "Morph, hop to it." When the small pink blob quivered and shook above Jim's shoulder, Silver shouted. "Now!" Giving a small terrified shriek, he hid behind the scowling young man.

Though parts of the conversation were too quiet to hear, Sora could at least see them. But, what really surprised her was, as Silver was walking away, he had such a look on his face that suggested that he didn't plan or even want things to go that way.

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The nighttime's darkness crept in through the entrance of B.E.N.'s home. B.E.N. stood gazing outside, whilst the captain behind him was in a positively sorry state. "Gentlemen," She said, her eyes looked clouded as if she couldn't focus. "We must stick together and… and-" She fell silent and closed her eyes, as if asleep.

"What?" Doppler asked franticly. "We must stick together and what?"

"Doctor," Amelia's voice sounded weary. "You have the most… wonderful eyes."

"She's lost her mind!" He shouted.

"Well, we- you gotta help her." Jim said.

"Dangit, Jim, I'm an astronomer not a doctor. Well, I am a doctor but not that kind of doctor. I have a _doctorate_, it's not the same thing, you can't_ help_ people with a doctorate! You just _sit there_ and you're _useless_!" He put his head in his hands after his rambling.

"It's ok, Doc." Jim put a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be alright."

"Yea, Doc." B.E.N. said. "Jimmy knows exactly how to get out of this. It's just- Jimmy has this knowledge of things…"

He stepped away from Doppler slowly and turned to Jim, who was staring up at the _Legacy. _"Jim," He whispered. "Any thoughts at all?"

"With out the map we're dead." His gaze lowered to the small orange glow of the pirates' campfire, almost hidden in the trees. "If we try to leave we're dead." He stepped away from the opening, thinking hard. "If we stay here…"

"We're dead!" Morph squeaked, wearing a cute little smile. "We're dead, we're dead, we're dead!"

"Well," B.E.N. said quietly. "I think um, Jimmy could use a little 'quiet time'." He laughed nervously. "So I'll just… slip out the back door."

Jim's head jerked up. "Back door?" He quickly followed the robot to the back of the room to where a large sphere lay in the ground. Halfway exposed, it could roll around to where a circular opening was revealed.

"Oh- Yah…" B.E.N. was saying. "I get this delightful breeze through here." He continued speaking, yet Jim couldn't concentrate. A dim light had shown through the hole, but he now realized the light was coming from machinery _inside _the planet. Flickering lights could be seen deep down and catwalks were on different levels. Wires ran along the oddly marked walls. Some walls looked like they had round doors on them, which might possibly lead to somewhere else on the planet.

"Whoa, what is all this stuff?" He asked, spellbound.

"You mean the miles and miles of machinery that run through the entire course of the inside of this planet?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Not a clue!"

"Hey, Doc," Jim called. "Doc, I think I found a way out of here!" He started to climb atop of it.

"No, no, Jim. Wait!" Doppler said. With one foot on each side of the opening, he stood above it. There was still the faint light coming from down below, accompanied by a wind. "Hang on, the captain ordered us to stay toge-"

"I'll be back." He assured him, and, without warning, jumped down.

B.E.N. followed him, shouting. "Cannonball!"

Doppler's face was filled with an irritated expression. "Woof." He said in monotone.

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Gathered around the eerie light of the campfire, the pirates slept soundly. Each and every one was unaware that at that very moment, a young man and a robot were walking in the underground walkways beneath them. A round metal hatch on the ground opened only a few feet from the camp. A moment later, a copper colored robot sprang up, on the verge of shouting. "So, what's the plan?"

Some of the pirates stirred in their sleep, but none awoke. Jim put his hands on B.E.N.'s jaw, not allowing him to make a sound. "Shh! Ok, here it is," He started in a whisper. "We sneak back to the Legacy, disable the laser cannons and bring back the map."

B.E.N. nodded. "That's a good plan. I like that plan, the only thing is I'm wondering, how do we get there?"

"I thought we could-" He fell silent as one of the pirates sat up. They rubbed their eyes and stood up, and that was when Jim got a better look at them. It was Sora. They quickly closed the hatch until only a sliver of light came through.

"This might be harder than I thought." Jim muttered.

He closed the hatch completely, the faint glow from the machinery in the tunnels being their only light. "Hmmm…" B.E.N. said, rubbing his chin. "Yah know, it's like there's something I'm forgetting…"

Jim rolled his eyes while Morph snickered. Suddenly B.E.N. jumped up in the air. "Ha! I remembered it!"

"What now?" Jim asked, growing irritated.

"Ugh… darn, I lost it." The young man sighed. "Oh wait! I just remembered! It was a longboat, I saw one not to long ago!"

"That's impossible, no one's been here for a hundred years. It would be in ruins by now."

"Come on, Jimmy!" The robot said, getting overly excited. "Let me show ya!"

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Down in the walkways surrounded by the mysterious machinery, Jim and B.E.N. stood near another hatch. "Are you sure this will work, Jimmy? 'Cause I- I don't know if she'll-"

"B.E.N., be quiet." Jim put his hands on the hatch. "Is this the right one?"

"No clue." B.E.N. said with his robotic smile.

Jim shook his head, sighing. Pushing the metal covering, he climbed out quickly. Around the two of them was only forest, but the nighttime sky could be seen through the trees up ahead. "Come on." Jim was about to walk through some bushes when he stopped abruptly. There was a clearing just in front of them, yet neither dared to move.

The edge of the clearing ended in a precipice-like cliff, though it was only about ten feet down to the ground. All other sides of the clearing were walled in by thick trees and other foliage. But, what stopped them was sitting on a rock in the middle of the clearing.

Sora starred out into the valley past the clearing, in it was the robot's home. Her eyes looked clouded, and she seemed distant. Her elbows rested on her knees, and Jim strained to hear what she now said. "This wasn't supposed to happen." She somehow looked close to tears, which was what confused him. "I'm sorry, Jim."

B.E.N. turned to look at him, as he was confused beyond belief. Though his puzzled face only met another. The bushes on another side of the clearing rustled, yet Sora didn't turn around. Grant emerged, looking tired. He sat down beside her, and after a while, he spoke up.

"You're not going to tell me to get lost or anything?" He asked with a chuckle.

"No." She did not look at him. "I'm just wonderin' why you haven't been acting like a pervert in the past few… days, actually."

"People can change, Sora." His face was serious.

"Yes, Grant. People can change," She turned to him. "But not you."

"What?" He stood up, trying to look hurt. "Why can't I change?"

"Because, you're…" She stood also, turning to leave. "Well, 'cause you're you."

He stepped in her way before she could go back to the camp. "What, like that _boy_ is any better?" He gestured across the green valley to where the robot's home was.

This was getting crazy; He had sounded almost… jealous. Grant was a heartless, cold man. She knew he had no feelings for anyone else unless it was just hate… right? She rubbed her temples; this was giving her such a headache. Just the idea that he might be _able_ to care about someone seemed unreal.

"What are you trying to say?" Surprisingly, she looked quite calm.

"Don't you see it?" He asked, astonished that she did not notice it. "It's the way you look at him… everyone can tell."

She grew frightened for a moment before shrugging it aside. He couldn't possibly know, could he? "You're daft, Grant. Stop this."

She tried to push past him but he put his hands on her shoulders, holding her there. "How can you say you don't know this? You must've noticed that he's the only one that you can't hate."

Sora was speechless. How could Grant, of all people, have seen this when she, herself, could not? Could that really have been true? Jim had seemed more like just _a friend_ to her, at least, at first. She wondered if she even _had_ feelings like _that_ for him. Perhaps there _was _a vast space between the two of them from the start, and it had only grown from this mutiny. Maybe they _were_ enemies now…

She cast her gaze down, growing more weary than angry. "Please –just stop." She turned away from him and walked back to the edge of the clearing, keeping her back to him. It was then that the cabin boy in the bushes saw a sinister smile upon the reptilian's face. Walking over to the young woman, the grin dissolved into a face masked with seriousness.

"Well," he said, walking around her. "I suppose if _that's_ the way you feel then, it's… best."

She glared at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, suppose you stop and think about it a moment." Her feline eyes were on him, watching his every move. "If you were to _be with him_, to go to _his_ side… would you really plan on being with him _forever_? To go with him and stay on some God-forsaken mining planet for the rest of your days?"

He stopped in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. "You've said before that you hate being grounded. You hate that feeling of being kept down… and being held back." His hands fell and he continued to walk around her. "Don't you think he'd… hold you back, Sora? You don't want that life, do you?"

"No." The answer came out too quickly –and too easily.

"You have to admit, you want to be _different_ from your father. You want to stay _here,_ you want to _keep_ this life… you don't want to give up an exciting life of piracy like your father, do you? Sora…" Grant stood behind her, wrapping his fingers around the sides of her arms and whispering in her ear. "You don't want that. And you don't want that _boy._ You want someone… someone more like you."

She turned her face to him, only to find his green skinned face and a menacing smile. She looked away again, his words and her own thoughts eating away at her mind. "You know," He hissed, his tail creeping around her waist and holding her close. "I doubt that boy has any type of feelings for you anyway. And perhaps, was just mesmerized by a…" His fingers brushed her chin, causing her to look at him. "…a pretty face."

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Jim saw as Sora made no attempt to keep him away, she just let him get close to her! He couldn't watch this. In an instant he was walking away from the clearing, from _them. _B.E.N. struggled to keep up and spoke once they were out of earshot. Hey, the robot could _learn_, couldn't he?

"Hey, Jimmy!" He said. "Where are you going? I thought you said we need her help with the-"

"I know what I said!" Jim lashed out. "I know, okay? We'll just have to figure something out."

"But-"

"Look, just go back, okay B.E.N.? I'll," He sighed. "I'll talk to her."

"But I thought you-" The robot stopped when Jim gave him a terrifying look. "Alrighty, Jimmy."

Morph flew in front of his face. "You too, Morph."

The shape-shifter gave the boy one last look before heading off with B.E.N. Jim sighed once more, knowing this wasn't going to be easy.

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Sora could feel his breath on her neck, and had only a moment to make a choice. Grabbing her gun from her belt, she raised it at Grant. His tail slipped from her waist and he backed up, almost tripping in the process. He could clearly see that she was angry with him, yet he dared to speak. "Sora, stop." He said. "Don't make the same mistake your father made."

Her grip on the gun faltered for a moment and it lowered a bit. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. "What the devil did you say?" She said, unable to hide the astonishment in her voice.

"Don't make the mistake he did, Sora." He took a step closer, but stopped when she raised the gun once more.

"He didn't make a mistake." She stared him down.

He placed his hands behind his back showing he wouldn't try and knock the gun from her hands. "Yes, he did. He gave it all up. You know that he was a _great_ pirate, not as great as Flint or even Silver, but still widely known." He kept his gaze on her, his eyes not leaving her for a moment. "He gave up this life… and for what? That wretch of a woman you call your mother?"

She didn't even flinch. If Grant's intent had been that she should get mad at him for that… well, he failed then. Had she really fallen so far that she no longer cared about that woman? Sora felt close to breaking down, and just agreeing with him so he'd leave. To be away from this planet, to get away from everything was the only thing on her mind. But, then again, she had been running away from everything in her life. Maybe it was time for her to face something for once.

"Decide whose side you're on, luv. At least before it's too late." He pleaded.

She narrowed her eyes at him and in a trembling voice said, "I already have."

When she didn't lower the gun, he left, disappearing into the shadowed jungle and accepting her choice. Her arm was limp at her side and her eyes were cast down. She couldn't just go back to the camp, not that she wanted to or anything. If Grant spoke one word about this then she was dead. If the others were to know…

Even if it came to that, would she still have done that? If she could have gone back could she be sure that it would play out no differently? Somehow it seemed that even if a decision was made, her inner turmoil was far from over. She wasn't sure what to do now.

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Shadowed by the trees, the path Jim took was dark. Not that you could really call it a path. With his hands in his pockets, he kept his head down. His mind was clouded in thought, and he hardly paid any attention to his surroundings.

He could hardly understand anything anymore. Why had Sora let Grant get so close? It made absolutely no sense. She had made it seem like she hated that man -which only made the answer harder to pick out. But when he saw them standing so close –He couldn't even explain the feeling he got. Then again, maybe there was no denying it. Perhaps it was jealousy. Perhaps _he_ wanted to be the one standing close to her –and not get killed for it either. He nearly stumbled when he came out into the clearing. Surprisingly, no one was there. Where had she gone? He glanced around once again, but still the place was empty. Sighing, he turned, only to have a knife pressing into his neck. Angry eyes stared back at him. There was something about those eyes, the depth, and the rebelliousness behind them. "What are you doing he-" Those same eyes were suddenly filled with realization.

The knife was pulled back, but Jim couldn't relax yet. Sora stepped back, clearly shocked to see him. "I- I didn't know it was you." She said, Jim however, said nothing and kept the old angry look he was used to.

"I didn't think… I had the feeling I wouldn't see you here." She noticed that his hand had grabbed his pistol when she had a knife to his neck, and that it still stayed there.

"The feeling's mutual." He muttered. "So, Grant left then?"

She opened her mouth to say something, and then shut it quickly. Taking a deep breath, she answered him. "Hmm… so, exactly how long have you been lurking 'round here?"

"Long enough." He said. She doubted this, though. If he had, then he wouldn't be acting like this, right? Somehow her gaze found its way to the ground, and there it stayed as she slipped the knife back to her belt. She walked past him into the clearing; she knew, as she walked by, that he gripped the gun tighter. Just that small action had brought forth the fact that he thought she'd hurt him, that he was a bit fearful of her. Not to long ago that was what she strived to achieve, that was what she wanted. But now, it hurt so badly. It felt as if she had truly lost her friend.

She picked up her coat, slipping it on quickly. The thin gray jacket was not enough to shelter her from the coldness she felt now. Shivers ran up and down her spin, making her shiver. It wasn't even a cold night, she was, more or less, just afraid. Or just disappointed that things had gone so badly and that there was now _dangerous_ tension between the two of them.

"Why are you here?" Her face held no emotion, yet it carried some kind of seriousness about it.

Suddenly, he couldn't come up with an answer and his real reason seemed insignificant. His mind automatically came out with an answer, though he dared not speak it aloud. He wanted to see her; he wanted to be sure she was alright. Enemies or not, he cared deeply about her. Now thoughts and feelings shot through his mind. In one way, he was compelled to let out the anger he now felt. He _did _have reason to be angry, right? All that time… he had trusted her, after all! These feelings of betrayal urged him to yell, shout, something… yet he didn't want to. For things to be right between them was the one thing he wanted.

"What does it matter?" He spat out. Ok, so much for that.

She looked away from him for a moment. "I didn't want this to happen, you know. I didn't want… I didn't want you to become my enemy." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

His frustration came out in his words. "What do you mean you didn't want this to happen?" She wouldn't look at him. "You're one of _them_, Sora. You were a part of all this!"

"Don't you think I know that?" She said. Her voice was cold, fueled by bitterness. "I _was_ a part of it, okay? But, it wasn't as if I could've gotten out of it! I _didn't_ want this to happen because I _didn't_ want you to get _hurt." _Her hands curled into fists, and her voice shook.

Her hands fell to her sides as she turned to him. "You can't begin to imagine the countless nights, -days I would lay awake trying figure out a way I could prevent my best friend from being killed." She took a step towards him, and he didn't move away. "I couldn't think of anything, not one thing, Jim. But, I knew that even if things _were_ ok for you, we would end up like this."

He could no longer look her in the eyes. "It sounds like you actually _want_ to change." His gaze cast down, he answered her. "Yeah, right."

"What?" She shouted. "What makes me incapable of it anyway? Why can't I change if I want to?" She almost gasped… is this what Grant had felt?

"Because, Sora," His eyes seemed to see into her soul, and she could tell he meant what he said. "I may not know everything, But I know that your father changed, didn't he?" He paused.

"So why can't you?" His voice softened, yet her face remained emotionless as he spoke. "Sora…" She turned away. "Please just look at me."

He walked closer, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Why did your father give it up?"

She crossed her arms over her chest once more. "He gave it up for my mother. He loved her. But I don't see…" She turned her head a bit, and looked into his deep blue eyes. She found she couldn't look away. "…I don't s-see how that… how that even relates."

His hand slid from her shoulder. "So give it up for yourself, Sora! This life isn't for you. Can't you tell that this just isn't where you're supposed to be?"

"How would you know anything?"

He hung his head, shaking it. "Jim, I didn't… I-" The sound of her voice faded and gave way to a new sound. Even _her _ears strained to hear it, but it remained and grew louder. It was the distinct sound of voices, muffled by the covering of thick plants. Her ears twitched as she could hear the sound of the foliage being cut down or pushed aside.

The sound increased, and Sora realized they were coming from behind her. Her braids whipped over her shoulders as she turned. Fear shooting through her mind, it paralyzed her. She knew they were coming, yet, she knew of no way out.

Jim knew this too, and he also knew he wouldn't stand by and let her get hurt. "Come on!" He said, grabbing her pale hand and pulling her away.

"What?"

Her question was left unanswered, as were the many questions running through her head in that moment. Why would he be helping her? It wasn't as if she deserved it, anyway. Both, running through the thick growth, began to grow weary. He would not stop, he would not answer her either, he merely lead her down an impenetrable path of which only _he_ knew the end of. It seemed to take forever, yet in reality was only a few minutes, until they emerged into a large clearing. Their ragged breathing chased the silence away. The clearing opened unto a large valley, barren and desolate save for a few fungus-like plants.

Jim, meanwhile, had disappeared behind some bushes, the shadows swallowing him whole. Her questions remained unanswered and her mind, as well as her heart, was racing. She followed him. "Alright, I want an explanation for once!" She glanced behind her to the clearing, but he had gone. But, to where was the question.

"Hawkins! Where the heck-" Her curses were cut off, as she couldn't speak.

His hand over her mouth, he whispered to her. "Shh! Get down."

She wrapped her hands around his wrist. He had no doubt that she could break it if she wanted to. Instead, she only pulled his hand away. "What are you doing? Why are you helping me?" She almost was shouting.

He put a hand over her mouth to quiet her just as shadowed figures burst from the forest and into the clearing where they had stood only moments before. She immediately refrained from pulling his hand away, and backed up –Only to back up into Jim, who backed up into the tree behind him. They were hidden now, in the shadows of course, though this did not help the feeling that the pirates in front of them might just look into the trees. They could hear each other's breathing, yet it was not heard by the pirates who were already in deep conversation. Sora could feel the warmth of his body as he stood behind her, but this was barely the reason that her heart was beating so fast.

"They're gone by now," Swenson said in his deep voice. "No use in catchin' her now. If she _has _joined them then they'll _all _be dead by morning."

"I don't believe it." Mr. Onus said quietly.

"Well, I do!" Another man said. "That little wretch was never fit to be one of us."

Jim had to grab Sora's arms to keep her from going out there and trying to kill him. She struggled for a bit before realizing his grip was surprisingly strong. He held her close, determined to keep her from getting killed. Truth be told, his arms hurt from holding her there. Why'd she have to be so strong for a woman?

"She's soft, just like that father of hers."

Jim's arms ached more than ever after that. "She never had the heart for a life like this." Mr. Collins hissed.

"No," Said one. "The problem was she _had _a heart. The fact remains Scroop saw it, but we didn't believe him."

Back in the bushes, Sora's temper grew short. "Let me go!" She whispered sharply. He shook his head, yet remained silent. When she realized his grip couldn't be shaken, she stopped. Slowly, his hands slid from her arms. He took her hand and led her away.

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In the sheer darkness they walked, neither of them speaking until it was clear that they were out of earshot. "Are you an idiot? You could've gotten yourself killed!"

"No I wouldn't have!" Sora retorted as she pulled her hand away from his. The silence befell the forest. "Why did you help me?" Her voice was soft now. "Why did you do that? You could've just left, you know."

He remained silent as he walked on, her following at his heels. "Please, Jim." He stopped. She never called him by his first name; it was still a bit weird when he heard it. "Please tell me." She pleaded.

"I- I don't know." He lied and began to walk again.

"Yes you do!" She ran ahead of him and stopped in front of him so he couldn't go any farther. "Why won't you just tell me?"

"I-" He sighed. "I just didn't-"

He was interrupted when Morph flew from the trees and zipped around his head and then did the same around Sora. "What the- What are you doing here, Morph?" The shape-shifter gave a happy squeak before turning into an arrow and pointing up to the tops of the trees from whence he came. Only seconds passed before B.E.N. came crashing down, branch and all.

"Whoa," He shouted. "You'd think a couple hundred year old tree would hold me up. Go figure." Jim shook his head at him.

"Hey there!" B.E.N. said in his excited voice. "I'm B.E.N. Bio Electronic Navigator, at your service. You must be that pirate girl Jimmy keeps talkin' about. I swear, you'd think he'd shut up but no, he just keeps talking and talking and- oof." Jim hit him over the head while Sora tried to ignore the fact she was blushing. "So, are you gonna help us?"

"What?"

"Yea, that's why Jimmy here went to talk to you, right? So you could help us with that longboat thing."

She remained silent for a moment. "So…" She shook her head, as if angry. Her voice grew louder with each word. "That's why you came to talk to me? Because you wanted me to help you fix some engine?" She turned away from them both and stormed off into the forest.

"B.E.N.!"

"What?" The robot asked. "What'd I do?"

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"Sora!" His shouts behind her were ignored. Sora waked until she reached what seemed like the edge of the forest whereupon she stopped. She was at the top of some rocky hill, below was just more forest. There was nothing out there, and she knew that, she didn't really care.

"Sora, wait!" She tried to block out his shouts. _I was so stupid. They just wanted me to help them, he didn't care if I was on his side or not. He doesn't care. _

She climbed down as carefully as she could, yet she more or less just slid down. Stumbling, she dusted herself off… unfortunately for her this gave Jim a chance to catch up. "Sora, please just wait for a moment!"

"No!" She said, turning to him. "I don't care anymore, Hawkins. Do whatever you want, I won't interfere. I won't go tell Silver and the others or anything. Do what you want, just leave me alone!"

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? I thought you came to talk to me because… It- It doesn't matter." She cast her gaze down to the ground.

"Sora, I came to _see you. _I came because I was worried about you." He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Can't that be enough?"

"I don't believe you, nor do I care." She turned away, trying to get out of there. "I was so stupid to think you cared; I was stupid to think we were actually friends!"

"How are we not friends?" He answered.

"You all were just going to use me! Just so I'd fix whatever the heck it was…" She grew angrier when she realized he was still following her. Her ran in front of her, like she'd done to him, and forced her to stay put by putting his hands on her shoulders.

"I care more than you think, Sora." He said softly. "I always have…" She looked down at her feet once more. His grip on her shoulders softened and he took her hands in his. He stepped so close he could hear her quiet breathing, so close his face was only inches from hers, yet her eyes were cast down.

"So, what now?" She whispered. "The trust we had was broken. Of course, if there was any trust to begin with." She looked up at him, her deep green eyes shining in the faint light.

Jim rested his forehead against hers and spoke almost inaudibly. "We can rebuild it, that is, if you want to."

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**A/N:**

Oh sweet fluff, thank God you exist!

**The Coracle. **Has Sora really chosen a side? Or is she just toying with Jim's emotions? Trust has lost its meaning as relationships took terrible twists and turns from which they may not have been able to recover.


	11. The Coracle

**A/N:**

For those of you wondering what the Coracle is, I'll let you in on a secret. Treasure Planet is based off of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, right? Well, I read the book a while ago and I believe (If my memory chooses to work today) that the Coracle was some kind of boat that Ben had and let Jim use. But, personally, I found the book very hard to understand since it was written a long time ago or something… If I am wrong, then there's no real harm done since this is a rewrite of the movie and some things are changed. Alright, Chapter 11 everyone… oh, and I'm sorry this chapter is so ridiculously long. I wrote the ending first and then the middle and the beginning was longer than I thought it would be… but, whatever.

Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet… sighs It's around 2:00 am… I can't think of anything good…

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"_I care more than you think, Sora." He said softly. "I always have…" She looked down at her feet once more. His grip on her shoulders softened and he took her hands in his. He stepped so close he could hear her quiet breathing, so close his face was only inches from hers, yet her eyes were cast down._

"_So, what now?" She whispered. "The trust we had was broken. Of course, if there was any trust to begin with." She looked up at him, her deep green eyes shining in the faint light._

_Jim rested his forehead against hers and spoke almost inaudibly. "We can rebuild it, that is, if you want to."_

"Of course I want to!" She said in a bit louder tone, pulling away a bit. "It's just… Well, I…" Her gaze wandered once again.

"What?"

_I don't know what to do. _She answered, though not aloud_. My mother forced me to be someone she wanted me to be, and then… well, I don't know how to be any other way than this. _She sighed before answering. "I… I just don't where to start."

A small smile found its way onto his face as she said this. "Well, you can start by helping us." He said. "Then maybe we'll all have a chance of makin' it off this planet in one piece."

Surprisingly, she laughed. "I suppose…" The smile still remained on her face. Suddenly, she pulled her hands away from his, blushing terribly. "I…" She paused, still smiling slightly. "Your little robot friend is watching us from the bushes."

They both looked over to the left, where B.E.N.'s head was poking up from the leaves. "B.E.N.!" Jim said as the robot dashed away. He chased him for only a few feet before stopping and turning back. Sora was just behind him, shaking her head at the two of them.

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"Now, hang on for a moment." Sora was saying as they got to the opening of a cave, the faint light streaming in past the curtain of vines. "Enlighten me here, how did a longboat end up here? If Flint left it then it would be useless these days."

"Well, um…" B.E.N. stuttered. "A- a few years ago a ship crashed on the other side of the planet. The survivors got this far in a longboat…"

"What happened to these survivors?" Jim asked.

"Uh…" He paused. "You don't wanna know."

"No," Sora said, a smirk on her face. "Now I'm interested. Tell us."

Jim rolled his eyes as B.E.N. spoke. "Traps. In the forest. _I_ _won't go into detail_."

Sora and Jim exchanged looks as they walked into the cave. The sound of dripping water could be heard throughout the cave as it echoed off the walls. Towards the sides were wooden tables, rotting at the legs. Tools lay upon them, but they were covered in rust. Lying on the ground in the middle was the longboat. But, as she looked it over, Sora doubted more and more that it would ever fly again. The wood seemed intact for the most part, just covered in moss. There were no sails, but then again, there was no sun either. Surprisingly, the engine did not seem rusted.

Though it was a very early model, the outer covering of the engine was still waterproof. As she walked around it, she stopped halfway. Written in messy paint upon the side was 'CORACLE'. She immediately looked at B.E.N. since the writing was almost illiterate.

"What?" He asked. "I can't name it?"

Turning to Jim, she tried to keep a smirk off her face. "Your friend's completely mental, you know that, right?"

Jim smiled at her. "I think I figured it out while ago."

Stifling a laugh, she crouched down to get a better view of the engine. The metal panel slid back with a bit of trouble and made a large clanging noise as it stopped. Her hands worked quickly, pushing and pulling wires out of the way. It was a shadowed mess. Obviously, the previous owner had not kept it in good condition. Almost an hour passed before anyone said anything.

"Okay…" Sora said, her eyes still fixed on all the wires. "There's a small chance that it will run –but there are no sails." She stood up, wiping her hands on her pants. "So, we've got no power."

"But, what about the emergency engines?" Jim said, leaning against one of the tables. "Don't they run on actual fuel?"

"Well," She started. "I suppose that would work…_ if_ we _had _some."

B.E.N. jumped up. "Yah- yah know this is, uh… this is a really good day for me! I just remembered where I saw some!"

A few moments passed and B.E.N. remained silent. "Where?" Jim and the young woman now standing next to him said at the same time.

"Uh…" B.E.N. sighed, walking over to a hatch in the floor. "So much running around today." He opened the hatch and jumped down inside, his voice echoing. "It's getting tiring…"

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"Amazing." Sora commented, leaning over the railing. "Truly amazing." The tunnels must have gone through the entire planet for if one looked to the left or right, the panels, wires, and green glow went on for miles. Even looking down could make your head spin, for it looked as if the drop was a thousand feet or more –and it probably was.

Jim grew nervous with her leaning over the railing. He kept a sturdy hand on her arm while she shook her head at him. The height didn't bother her though, for you can't have a fear of heights if you're the lookout of a mighty ship. B.E.N. was a few feet ahead of them, making a racket as he went down the walkway. "Alrighty, here we are." The robot said, stopping outside a door. This one, surprisingly, was rectangular. He merely pushed a small button near the doorway almost hidden beneath some wires. The silver door slid with a hiss, revealing a room about the size of a broom cupboard. Its walls were bare, and so was the floor –save for around five medium sized jugs filled with a light blue liquid.

Sora stooped down, looking for some kind of label. "Are you sure this'll work?" She said, looking at B.E.N.

"Yep." He answered. "Ole' Flint left 'em here for when he needed them. At least… I think he did. Maybe. Anyway, I don't think he'll need them now, though."

"That's for sure." Jim mumbled, earning a small laugh from Sora.

"Hmm," She said, watching as Morph flew around B.E.N.'s head until he was dizzy. "I think we'll only need two or so to get it running."

"Well," B.E.N. said as he walked back over to the way they'd come in. His head rolled from side to side as Morph still flew around him, chirping happily. "I'll leave you two to do the heavy lifting."

After he left, Sora turned to Jim with a genuine smile on her face. "You know," She said, leaning against the doorframe. "This might actually work…"

"It had better work," He said. "I don't want to be here in the morning with those laser canons working on the ship. Not to mention the fact we'll get the map back."

She rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe you left it there."

"Hey!" Jim said. "It's not my fault Morph changed into the map."

"Wait a second," Her smile turned to a small smirk. "I've been meaning to ask you- what happened to the whole 'I could've helped you, those engines are a lot like the ones in solar surfers' thing?"

"Oh-" He said, growing nervous and rubbing the back of his neck. "About that… well, I tried to, but- Well, I almost-"

"What's wrong?" Sora said, joking at him. "The great Jim Hawkins is afraid he might embarrass himself?" Standing up straighter, she leaned forward with the smirk still on her pale face.

"Ha, Ha," He replied with sarcasm in his voice, moving closer without really realizing he did so. "You're _so_ funny."

It was then that she realized he was standing so close. Her heartbeat grew faster until she could almost hear it. She suddenly became very nervous, unaware that her body moved of its own accord and that she was even closer. His smile had faded and was replaced by a serious look.

"Sora?" He asked quietly.

"Yes?" She said, their faces moving closer every second. They stood so close that if one of them turned they would hit each other's shoulder.

"I- I'm starting to think that…" His words trailed off when he realized he was close enough to actually kiss her.

"What is it?" Her gaze was locked with his. She couldn't look away from those eyes.

"I'm starting to think that I-" He paused. "That I might actually…"

What ever he wanted to say, he seemed unable to say it. There was no more denying it –he was going to kiss her. The question was, would she let him? She always seemed to be stuck in situations where she had to make decisions. Unfortunately, she usually made the wrong one. But, maybe not this time…

Their lips hardly brushed before B.E.N.'s shout echoed of the tunnel walls. "Hey- you guys comin'?" Sora stepped back, hitting the doorframe. Jim did the same, and both of their faces were a crimson color. As she turned away and picked up two of the jugs, she thanked every star in the heavens that B.E.N. had not seen them. He would never let them forget _that._

She handed Jim one before heading down the walkway, still blushing. Jim nearly stumbled back from the weight of the fuel. Why the heck were those things so heavy? Sora seemed to have no trouble with it at all. He quickly shifted it and held it tighter as he followed her. She was already back in the cave by the time he got near the hatch.

"What took you so long?" Sora asked, poking her head out of the opening, a smirk on her face. Jim rolled his eyes at her. _Women,_ he thought.

----------------------------------------

The _Legacy _was still and quiet as they arrived. No winds caused her to sway and no breeze lifted her sails. As the _Coracle _flew closer, the ship began to seem dead and desolate. The longboat stopped shakily, and its passengers were eager to get off. B.E.N.'s foot caught on the railing of the ship as he tried to climb over. He let out a cry as he hit the deck loudly.

"B.E.N.!" Jim whispered sharply.

"Sorry! Sorry!"

They crept along the deck, each listening for some sound indicating they had been discovered. After a moment, they reached the entrance that lead to the inner areas of the ship. "Scroop should be the only one here." Sora whispered as they all made their way down the stairs. "As long as we keep quiet, he shouldn't hear us."

"Alright," Jim said as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "I'll go get the map. You two stay here and make sure-"

"Aye, aye, Captain Jimmy." B.E.N. interrupted. "I'll disabled laser canons, Sir!" He finished with a sloppy salute.

"No, wait! B.E.N.!" Jim called out after him. He didn't listen; instead, he just kept going down the hallway, singing.

"…Yo ho, Yo ho, A pirates life for me…"

"Don't worry." Sora said. "I'll watch him. Just to make sure he doesn't become the death of us." Her voice held no sarcasm.

Jim nodded, watching her whack the robot in the back of the head when she caught up to him. "Somehow," He said to Morph. "I don't think that'll be enough."

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"Disable a few laser canons," B.E.N. said to himself as he walked into a small room. "What's the big deal?" Sora followed close behind, a tired look on her face. B.E.N. found a large box on the wall, and was about to open it. "All we gotta do if find that one little wire and-"

Sora sighed loudly as he opened it. At least over a hundred wires lay inside, all different colors and all tangled around the others. B.E.N.'s eyes widened. "_Oh mama._"

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In the darkness of the longboat bay, Jim pushed back the ropes concealing the map. Morph chirped as he pulled out the golden sphere. "Yes…" He muttered with a smile on his face as he gripped it tighter.

Without warning, red lights on the walls flashed brightly, and a siren blared.

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"Oops!" B.E.N. said. "_Bad _B.E.N. Okay, fixing…" He quickly put the plug back into the wall, an embarrassed look on his face. The siren stopped as he spoke. "Uh- my bad."

"There's no way Scroop didn't hear that." Sora said worriedly. "I'm going to go find Jim. We should get out of here." Turning, she left the room quickly.

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Morph followed closely behind Jim as he ran down the hallway. "Stupid robot," He muttered as he neared the bottom of the stairs. "He's gonna get us all-" His voice faded as he glanced at the top of the stairs. Scroop stood at the top, his claws clenching and unclenching. "-killed." Jim finished.

"Cabin boy…" He hissed, a menacing look in his yellow eyes.

Jim ran down the hall, faster than before. He could hear Scroop behind him, getting closer with the aid of his six legs. In an effort to slow him down, Jim pushed boxes lining the walls behind him. It didn't help much, for Scroop cleared them easily. At the end of the hallway, Sora steeped out from around the corner.

"Jim, B.E.N. just-" She stopped when she saw who was behind him. He quickly grabbed her by the arm, pulling her aside. They leaned against the wall, whilst Jim tried to catch his breath. Sora kept her mouth shut –and so did Morph. He pulled out his pistol, Sora's ears perking up as she heard it charge. Jim turned back around the corner, only to find Scroop a few feet in front of him.

He made no other move, for suddenly they were all plunged into darkness. Sora stood still as though dead, straining to hear any sound of movement. _Come on, B.E.N. _The lights returned, but Scroop was gone. Jim turned around quickly, but only Sora stood behind him. Her hand was gripping her gun, but she was reluctant to take it out. Jim continued to look down the hallway, and did not see a dark figure lower itself from the ceiling. Sora narrowed her eyes as a shadow fell over her, yet… it was not coming from it front of her, so…

She spun around quickly, her hair whipping around her face. Scroop loomed over her, but before she could do anything, he struck her in the head quickly. At the same moment her gun clattered to the floor, Morph flew up at his face, turning into a gloved hand and poking him in the eyes. Either from Scroop's yell of pain or the sound of someone falling to the ground, Jim turned around, gun in hand. The mutinous creature above him knocked him down. Scroop's claw swiped at the young man's neck, and he kicked at him in retaliation as his gun lay just out of arm's reach.

Just as he looked over at Sora's motionless form, he noticed some alien noise. Or, rather, there _should _have been a familiar noise –but it was not there. The Artificial Gravity Generator wasn't running. The low hum of it he had grown accustomed to was gone.

Sure enough, only mere seconds later the artificial gravity lifted, no longer holding anyone down. Though they were now both weightless, Scroop reached for his neck once again. Jim kicked at his chest, sending him towards the ceiling. The wooden hatch above him shattered, sending them both above the deck. Sora opened her eyes, a throbbing pain in her head. She immediately felt a weightlessness about her, and quickly realized B.E.N. had once again made a grave mistake. Everything, including the boxes in the hall, now floated freely. Fear was felt in the reaches of her mind, an unwanted fear that was almost forbidden. Her hands grasped the edge of the opening where the hatch once lay. Once she had a good grasp, she looked up to find Jim and Scroop near the crow's nest.

Jim's hands slid hopelessly on the mast, yet he still could not grab onto anything. Scroop climbed up the wood like a spider on a wall, not stopping for a second. He watched the man crawling up after him, and was soon above the crow's nest. His fingers just barely grabbed the end of the pirate flag as he saw his gun floating next to him. Reaching out one hand to grab it, he struggled to keep a good grip on the flag. "No!" Jim said as his hand hit the edge of the gun, causing it to spin away.

"Oh… yes." Scroop laughed evilly as he began to cut rope connected to the flag. "Do say hello to Mr. Arrow for me." The rope was frayed and almost cut all the way through when Jim pulled himself back to the mast. Scroop's anger broke through as he lunged at the boy.

"Tell him yourself!" Jim shouted as he did the same, kicking the man behind him and grabbing onto the mast once more. He looked behind him and saw Scroop tangled up in the flag, but the flag was now floating freely. Once he had ripped his way out, he let out a cry. The rope had snapped, and there was now no way to get back to the ship.

----------------------------------------

B.E.N. floated around four feet above the ground, his frustration growing. "Back you go, you naughty plug!" He said, reaching for the board full of wires. With the plug back in place, he immediately fell to the ground.

----------------------------------------

Sora hit the deck quickly, her shoulder taking most of the impact. Groaning, she opened her eyes and got up slowly. _Stupid robot, _she thought. Looking up towards the crow's nest, she called his name. "Jim? Are you alright?"

She watched him get up, leaning against the side of the crow's nest for support. "Sure, you?" He said as Morph flew near his shoulder, chirping softly.

"Depends on your definition of alright." She replied as she looked to the stairs where B.E.N. came up from below deck.

"Well, that wasn't so hard." He said, covered in multicolored wires.

"No kidding…" She said, rubbing her shoulder. She looked back at Jim, who currently had Morph flying around his head. He did not smile, but had a solemn look that told her he knew things probably weren't going to get any easier.

Moments later, Sora jumped into the longboat with a rare smile upon her face. Jim stepped in also, whilst B.E.N. tripped and fell in. She tried to smile, yet somehow the solemn look on Jim's face made her smile look a bit fake. "Well, at least things can't get worse, right?" His expression did not change as he sat down and started up the engine. His mind was obviously distant.

She sat down next to him, the smile disappearing for a moment. As she placed her hand over his, he looked up with a startled look only to find her grinning once more. Nothing was said, yet a smile also spread across his face. Her ears twitched as she tried to hear what B.E.N. was mumbling. "Sora and Jim," Theirs hands quickly pulled away from one another's. "…sitting in a tree. K-I-S-"

"I may be able to fix a lot of things, like the longboat engine, but if you '_mysteriously_' woke up one morning in _pieces_ I don't think I'd be able to _help_." Sora said with a glare on her face.

Jim smirked at B.E.N. as he shuffled his way to the other end of the longboat. She tried to hold back a laugh at that as she made sure the engine's systems were working properly. "Okay, let's get out of here." She said. The _Coracle_ moved forward and began its descent. Sora sighed, looking out to the sky, her mind racing. She had no idea what was going to happen to them all. Somewhere, there was doubt in her, a doubt that they would make it off the planet.

She was pulled from her thoughts as the engine started shaking, which caused the entire longboat to shake. "What's going on?" B.E.N. asked.

"I-" Sora started, confused beyond belief as she tried everything she could. "I don't know." The longboat wouldn't turn, slow down, or even stop. Its descent grew faster and shakier with every passing second. "The engine's failing…"

The ground was getting closer as B.E.N. spoke again. "Well, can't you do anything?"

She glared at him. "Oh, sure, B.E.N. We're at about a hundred feet, let me just get my tool box."

"Guys, stop!" Jim said in a loud tone. "Now, there has to be something we can-"

He was cut off as a small explosion was heard from the engine and smoke started spewing from inside it. The longboat shook terribly and its passengers held on tightly as the bottom scraped the ground.

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The smoke of the engine filled the air. It would have quickly filled the lungs of any creature and sent them into a fit of coughing –that is, it would have, had anyone been conscious.

Pain, that was the only thing Sora felt as she opened her eyes. She could see above her the endless sky and large clouds of smoke. Lying on her back, she could feel the hard ground beneath her. Just opening her eyes was painful and caused her head to ache worse than ever. Her chest felt tight, and she realized she wasn't breathing. The fall must've knocked the breath from her as she couldn't get any air. There truly is no fear like not being able to get a breath.

Then, she coughed loudly, her shoulders shaking violently. The air was filled with the sound of her short and quick breaths. It hurt to think, to blink, to breathe, and even to turn her head. Propping herself up on her elbow, she could see B.E.N. pull himself out from some bushes.

"Whoa." The robot tripped and fell over. "What a rush."

She shook her head at him –which turned out to be a bad and painful idea. Turning to her right, she saw Jim lying on his side.

Sora swore loudly as she got up, nearly falling from the headache. She took a step and pain shot through her legs, but she didn't care. Jim hadn't moved at all since she saw him.

Getting down on her knees beside him, she grew worried. She couldn't tell if he was alright. "Jim?" She asked in a shaky and terrified voice. At the sound of his name, he turned over, but did not open his eyes. She brushed some of his hair out of his face, and softly placed a hand on his chest. "Jim?" She whispered.

"Yes?" He mumbled, holding a hand to his head and opening his eyes slowly. He tried to sit up, but almost fell back again. "Heh, that didn't go so well, did it? Are you ok?"

"Oh, just brilliant." Sora replied sarcastically. "You scared the heck out of me, Hawkins!"

He only laughed in return. Truthfully, she would have punched him for that… that is, if he wasn't in this sorry state. Instead, she helped him to his feet as B.E.N. went ahead of them. "Are you sure you're alright?" Sora asked.

Jim flashed a smile. "I'm fine, really. Don't-"

"Ah, man!" B.E.N. interrupted as he viewed what was left of the _Coracle. _The longboat's sides had more or less been scraped of from the landing, nothing else but pieces of wood and chunks of the engine that were strewn across the grass remained. Sora walked over to where B.E.N. stood appalled at what had become of 'his' boat.

"Hey," She said, placing a hand on the robot's shoulder and smiling. "It was a piece of shit to begin with anyway."

To her surprise, Jim burst out laughing, while B.E.N. glared at her.

----------------------------------------

The air in the tunnels had grown cold as Jim stepped out of them. He pulled B.E.N. up by the arm, knowing the clumsy robot would need some help. When he looked down Sora smiled up at him. He didn't offer her his hand because he knew she wouldn't accept it. But that was Sora for you; she wanted to do things on her own with no help from anyone… well, unless it was a life or death kind of thing.

"Hey, Doc!" He said, struggling to look away from her rare smile. "Doc, wake up." Jim ran over to his shadowed form. Sora, meanwhile, pulled herself up out of the hole. She stood next to B.E.N., who had a big smile upon his face while Morph zipped around them. Something wasn't right though. Her ears twitched madly, trying to figure out what was wrong. She could sense it, hushed breathing, and the warmth of too many people in the room. _It can't be them…_

Meanwhile, Jim held up the map to Doppler's sleeping form. "I've got the map." He said with a smile.

The shadowed figure shifted, but it was not Doppler who spoke. "Fine work, Jimbo." A mechanical hand reached out and took the map. "Fine work indeed." John Silver grinned evilly back at him as the rest of the pirates emerged from the shadows.

Jim dashed towards the 'back door' but was stopped when two men grabbed him from behind. Morph bit the tail of one of these men, yet they only cried out and did not let go. B.E.N. had a knife pressed to his neck by another pirate and couldn't move an inch. On the far side of the room, Doppler and Captain Amelia sat, tied at the wrists and gagged. Over by the back entrance, Sora felt helpless. She watched as her friends were captured, but could she really do anything about it? She was no longer on the mutinous crew's side, and therefore carried no trust with them. But, she still racked her mind for some possibility that she could help them.

"Look what we've got on our hands now," One man said, glancing over at her. "A little traitor." She tried to dodge him, but one of his tentacles wrapped around her arm and she couldn't move any farther.

"Let me go!" A few other men walked over, and again she felt that same unwanted fear. She just knew there had to be some way to convince them not to hurt her friends, some way to help them all… Suddenly, it came to her, and she did the one thing she did best. She bluffed.

"I'm still on your side, you imbeciles!" She said in a more defiant tone. Since she had stopped struggling, some of the men looked unsure. It was then she thanked the heavens that these men were uneducated. "The lot of you are so stupid if you think I'd help them."

She tried her best not to gaze at the confused and hurt look in Jim's eyes. One of the men shook his head.

"The girl lies."

She took a deep breath. _Think quickly_… she told herself. "Don't be daft! The boy needed help getting back to the ship. If he hadn't gone, none of you would've been able to get close to here. Not that the boy has got any aim, but you all aren't very quick either."

The man's grip loosened a bit, and she took this to her advantage. She pulled her arm way quickly, just as Grant stepped up behind her and grabbed her wrist. He whispered quite loudly to her. "What about back there in the forest? You can't pretend that didn't happen."

Once again, the same rebellious and smart attitude returned as she looked him straight in the eye. "Grant, I would've had a gun to your head no matter _what_ side I was on." He glared at her as he let go of her wrist, yet there was still something on his face that told her he didn't believe a word she had said.

Sora glanced over at Jim, with a wicked smirk. Pulling her gun from her belt, she walked over to him. Still, the wicked grin remained as she crouched down, looking at him eye to eye. "Sorry, Jim." Her voice was sarcastic and cold. "But, teenage boys are so gullible, aren't they?" She stood up quickly and walked past him, her hand brushing his face which was set in a glare.

Silver laughed. "You're just like me, Jimbo." He said with a smirk. "Yah hates to lose." A few moments passed as he looked over the map. Try as he might, he could not get it open. After using several instruments from his robotic arm his temper grew short. Unfortunately for Jim, Silver looked over at him just as he shook his head.

"Open it." Silver said angrily, shoving the map into the boy's hands. Jim looked over at Doppler and Amelia. The captain shook her head while Doppler nodded his. But, glancing over at her, he quickly did the same. Silver, too, looked at them for a moment, and then back at Jim. "I'd get busy…" He warned, his arm clicking and being replaced with a gun.

Jim continued to glare at the man as he pressed various buttons on the map, without even looking down. It clicked loudly, and he twisted the top and sides. Once again, it clicked, but louder this time. Green particles of light emerged from the sphere flying up towards the ceiling and forming a smaller replica of the planet. The crew's amazement could be heard clearly, but Sora remained emotionless, as did Jim. The particles flew towards the opening of B.E.N.'s home, whereupon they formed a line leading out into the forest beyond. It was clearly a path, and at the end the loot of a thousand worlds awaited them.

Silver walked over to the opening, his gaze following the green path in the sky. "Oh, by the powers that be would you look!" He said in amazement. His voice faded a bit as he glanced back at his captives. "Tie him up, and leave him with the others until we-"

The path suddenly disappeared and flew back to the map in Jim's hands. He looked at the man with plain defiance in his voice. "If you want the map, you're taking me too."

Sora watched him as he spoke, surprised at him. _Smart kid_, she thought with the smallest of smiles.

The cyborg's smile faded completely before returning. He then shook his head with a smirk. "We'll take 'em all."

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Sora leaned against the side of the longboat, her mind whirling. She did not pay any mind to the forest that rushed by the pirates and their captives. _He hates me for this._ Continuing to look absent-mindedly at the foliage, her thoughts drifted. _He gave me a second chance and now I blew it. I'm not even sure if I _can _help them…_

The longboat halted to a stop, and the pirates leapt out nimbly, eager to find the treasure. One rather large man stayed behind to keep watch over the Doctor and former captain. The party stayed below the green path of light above their heads. As she looked ahead, she saw Jim and B.E.N. straying a few feet behind Silver. She followed closely, listening to them.

"Yah know, Jimmy," B.E.N. was saying in a nervous tone. "I-I'm starting to see my life _flash_ before my eyes!" His voice grew frantic and crazed. "Was I ever dancing with an android named Lupe?"

"B.E.N.!" Jim said warningly as Morph flew into his pocket in fear. "Quiet. This isn't over yet."

Sora noticed the two were walking pretty slowly, and that most of the men were ahead of them. _This_ she could use to her advantage. Jim heard her voice behind him as he walked. "Hurry it up, Hawkins." He felt her gun pressing into his back, and couldn't help but feel nervous. This time she whispered into his ear. "Please tell me you have a plan."

"What?" He whispered back. "So you- and-" He rolled his eyes. "Why are you woman so confusing?"

She laughed quietly. "That's life. Women are confusing and men are… well, men are just idiots."

"Thanks a lot." He said sarcastically.

Her voice became serious as she spoke. "So, do you have a plan?"

"Um… I'm working on it."

She sighed. "Jim, I don't if I can do anything-"

"I know." He said in a solemn voice.

"I'm not even sure if I can help you all." She finished.

"I know that." Jim continued to walk, trying not to look behind him. "I'll think of something, I promise."

She was about to say something else when Silver shouted to his crew. "We're gettin' close, lads! I smell treasure awaitin'!" Jim tried stepping back, but Silver got him by the collar of his shirt. His sword cut through the green foliage, revealing a barren clearing. Beyond the clearing was a canyon, the sides too straight and perfectly carved to be natural. The place was completely desolate, and this caused the pirates tempers to grow short.

"Where is it?" Some called out.

"I see nothing!" Mr. Onus shouted in frustration. "One big stinking rank of nothing!"

Jim jumped as the map clicked in his hand. It shut, completely refusing to open once more. Silver gave him a questioning look. "What's goin' on, Jimbo?"

"I- I don't know." He said, still struggling with the map. "I can't get it open."

The old woman behind him shoved him to the ground. "We should have never trusted this boy to get us anywhere."

As he hit the ground, he noticed something… some odd shape in the ground under the moss…

"I say we rip his gizzards out, right here, right now!" One man suggested.

Sora was about to argue against the man when a soft green light shone from behind her. She turned quickly, to see Jim had placed the map into a half-sphere shaped hole in the ground. The hole itself sat in a disc of strange and ancient symbols, carved intricately into the hard _metal _beneath their feet. Green lines shot up out of a few of the symbols, and connected about three feet in the air, forming a tripod. The tip formed into a sphere, and in it were tiny models of solar systems, planets, stars, nebulae…

Lights on the canyon ground caught their eyes. They began on the far side, and quickly moved to the base of the cliff on which they stood. They connected and shot up into the air somewhere around twenty feet above their heads. The green line split at its base, forming a triangle. As the onlookers watched in fascination, they saw before them a remarkable site.

"The Lagoon Nebulae?" Jim asked in wonder. He was not mistaken, for inside the triangle was a bluish purple nebulae, the stars within it shining as if they were alive.

"But, that's… halfway 'cross the galaxy." Silver pointed out.

B.E.N.'s words came back to Jim's mind in an instant. "A big door…" He murmured, taking a closer look at the green sphere. "…opening and closing." He looked across the smaller version of the map, searching for a specific place and smiled as he did so. "Montresser Spaceport." As he touched the small crescent, the view beyond the door changed. They no longer looked upon the nebulae, but at Montresser's spaceport. It shone with a light yellow glow, and pulled at the memories of all who stood there.

"So that's how Flint did it." Jim said in realization. "He used this _portal _to roam the universe, stealing treasure."

Silver spoke with anger in his voice. "Yes, but where'd he stash it all?" He pushed the young man aside, pressing various different planets on the map. Each one opened a new door in the portal, but none held the treasure in plain view. "Where is that blasted treasure?"

"Treasure," B.E.N. said to himself, pulling at the wires at the back of his head, almost in pain or something. "It's buried- buried in the-"

"Buried in the Centroid of the Mechanism." Jim finished. "What if- what if the whole planet _is the mechanism_ and the treasure is buried in the center of _this _planet?"

Sora raised an eyebrow at the two men who tried to use their pickaxes to dig into the ground. They quickly struck metal, their tools vibrating madly. "Then how in blazes do we get to it?" Silver said.

"Just," Jim started, walking towards the map. "Open the right door." As he finished, he pressed the miniature version of the planet. The portal changed once again, this time there was an orange glow coming from inside. Jim walked up to it, putting his hand through. It felt like static or some solid form of energy. He stepped all the way through, feeling like he walked through a spider's web. Silver followed him, making sure he didn't get too far ahead of the rest. The crew walked briskly, with Sora and B.E.N. straying off to the side.

Each being on the metal platform stood still, completely spellbound by the breathtaking view before them. "The loot of a thousand worlds…" Said Silver in astonishment. They had found it –Flint's forgotten trove laid spread out across the entity of the core. Mountains of gold coins, jewelry, and trinkets of great worth met their eyes, all sitting upon the core which floated, sustained by the planet's gravity, in a carved out dome. Pillars on the dome hung down, sending streams of energy into large holes in the core. The pirates cheered and shouted, heading off the platform to inspect the riches.

Jim had never seen a greater site in his life. All those stories he had heard about this place returned to his mind. They seemed dull and lifeless compared to the real thing. As he looked across the core, he noticed a ship, half buried in the coins. Gold lay upon the deck too, but Jim saw it more as a means of escape. Meanwhile, B.E.N. had been speaking. "This is all seeming very familiar… but I- I can't remember why…"

"Guys, come on," He said in a regular tone since al the pirates were… preoccupied at the moment. "We're _getting out_ of here and we're _not_ leaving empty handed."

B.E.N. followed obediently at his heels, as did Morph, while Sora smiled at him. _I love the way you think, _she thought to herself. She didn't follow him immediately, instead, she looked down. The coins underneath her feet shifted strangely as she stood on top of them. Reaching down, she picked up a handful, and watched as they slid through her fingers. Though she hadn't searched for this place as long as Silver had, it still amazed her that it was actually real. It wasn't some bed-time story told to toddlers to give them good dreams, it was _here. _As she heard her name called, she looked up and ran ahead to where Jim and B.E.N. stood, slipping the two coins remaining in her hand into her pocket. Hey, old habits die hard.

Jim helped B.E.N. up onto the ship, not even trusting the robot to get himself up without falling. "Do you know what's strange?" B.E.N. was saying. "I can't tell you how frustrating this is, Jimmy. 'Cause there's something just nagging at the back of my mind…" As Sora pulled herself up, she had to admit to herself that it felt a bit weird coming onto Flint's ship. It almost felt like trespassing onto a gravesite…

"Ahh!" B.E.N. yelled as he saw what was on the deck, tripping and hitting the wood hard.

"Captain Flint?" Jim murmured, just as Sora stepped onto the deck. Sitting in a high backed chair was a corpse –well, it was more or less just a skeleton. Tattered clothes remained on it, instantly identifying him as a pirate. The shape of its skull and current location could mean no other thing. This was what remained of the legendary captain.

"In the flesh." B.E.N. said, then correcting himself. "Well, except for skin, organs, or anything that- that- that resembles flesh… that's not there."

Sora shook her head, wincing. "That's completely _disgusting_."

Jim smirked at her expression, walking up to the bones to take a closer look. B.E.N. spoke behind him. "And yet, it's so odd, you know? I remember there was something horrible Flint didn't want anyone else to know. But I- I can't remember what it was."

As Jim looked at the skeleton, he noticed something was held tightly in its fist. It was clearly a copper color, small, and almost round. Jim pried it out of Flint's dead grasp, holding it up to the light. And then, as B.E.N. spoke, everything clicked.

"Oh! A mind's a terrible thing to lose!" He exclaimed.

"B.E.N…" Jim started. "I think I just found your mind."

Sora felt like laughing. _So, he really did lose his mind. I thought it was just an excuse._

"Here, hold still." Jim said, putting a hand on the robot's head to make him refrain from moving.

"Jimmy, your hands are very cold back there and-"

As the young man held B.E.N.'s primary memory circuit, the wires in his head leapt out and attached to the piece, almost like they were magnetic. "Whoa!" B.E.N. shouted, his green eyes turning light blue. "H- Hello." He looked around quickly. "Hey, Jimmy, I was just thinking… just _thinking_…"

The robot jumped into the air, shouting his words a mile a minute. "Yes! All my memories… right up until Flint pulled my memory circuit so I couldn't tell anyone about his _booby trap_!" Suddenly, a large explosion was heard throughout the core. "Speaking of which…" B.E.N. said, quickly explaining. "Flint didn't want anyone to have his treasure, so he rigged this whole place to blow _higher than a kalepsian kite!" _

As he spoke, smaller explosions erupted around the walls. Pipe-like structures burst in a fiery cloud. One of the pillars attached to the exterior of the core fell, exploding at the base. Everything trembled and shook when it came down, plunging through the mountains of treasure and into the very center of the core. The force of the impact was hard enough that it caused the ground to crack. Large canyons seemed to open up, fire could be seen at the bottom as piles of fell down inside. _So this is what Flint planned… for his treasure to be destroyed –along with the ones who tried to take it._ Sora realized. _Greedy bastard…_

"Run, Jimmy!" B.E.N. said, frantically shaking his arm. "Run for your life!"

Sora saw a determined look come across his face. "You two go back and help the captain and Doc." He said, and ran over to the wheel. There were panels, boards, and screens surrounding it. "If I'm not there in five minutes_… leave without me_." His face was serious as he lay under the control boards, reaching up and moving around the wires.

_He has to be kidding_, she thought.

"I am _not _leaving my bestest buddie!" B.E.N. said, struggling as he tried to pull him by the ankles out from underneath. Jim glared at the robot, the wires in his hand giving off sparks as he did so, -and though Sora hated to admit it even to herself, it creeped her out a bit. "Well, unless… he looks at me like _that_… Bye, Jim!" And with that said he left, but not without stumbling and tripping across the deck.

Sora, however, stood motionless. The sound of the shouts of the men, the treasure falling into the cracks, and the explosions were mixed together and made her ears ring. _He can't be serious. That ship is over a hundred years old, there's no way that it will start!_ She pulled him back out by the ankle with ease. "I'm not leaving you here even if you _do_ look at me like that."

Jim got up quickly, and put his hands on her shoulders. "Please go. If the captain and Doc need help then you-"

"No." She said, her braids swinging as she shook her head. "I'm going to stay here."

The young man sighed. "Sora, please just do this, okay?"

"No."

"Can't you just-"

"No."

"But, won't you-"

"No, Jim." Her eyes showed she was completely serious.

"Sora, listen to me!" His voice grew loud, and his grip on her shoulders tightened "I don't want you stay here… I don't want you to get hurt because I love you."

"But I-" Her words caught in her throat. _What did he say?_ Shock wasn't even the half of it. "What?"

Even in the orange glow of the fires, she could tell he was blushing. "I- I meant what I said. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you." He had said he meant it, and he truly did. Only knowing her for a little longer than two months didn't seem like enough time to develop feelings such as this. Yet somehow he knew it to be true. There was hardly a moment when he did not think of her. He always wanted to be around her even if she was mad at him. He didn't know _everything_ about her, but he knew he _wanted_ to find out. There was more, so much more yet he didn't have time to think. Another pillar fell, sending a rippling wave of heat across the core. Something hit the hull and the entire ship rocketed to the side.

Jim stood up quickly, looking across the deck. Sora was a few feet away, the same startled look still on her face. He was about to help her up when she got up on her own and stepped back about a foot. Perhaps, he shouldn't have let that slip.

"Sora, just… just go help them, okay?" She remained silent. She tried to say something, but she couldn't. Instead she nodded, her skin paler than usual. Jim glanced back over his shoulder to the core that was now falling apart. When he looked back she was gone, hopefully back to the portal.

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The platform was empty; either the remaining pirates had escaped already or they were all dead. Sora wasn't sure which she wanted. Looking back, she surveyed the damage, knowing the entire planet would be destroyed from the inside out. She thrust her hands into her pockets, aware that they were shaking.

He heart had never beat this fast, and she could hardly breathe. She wasn't sure whether most of the shock was from what he said or the fact a _guy_ had just talked about his feelings. It hardly seemed real. Of course she wanted a _friend_, but she had hardly though of Jim as anything _more_ than that. Sure, she _had _kissed him, but that was… that was just being a teenager, wasn't it?

Somewhere, inside, she knew she wanted him to be ok. Yet, it seemed to be more than what a friend would feel. _You're being daft, stop thinking about what he said! _Somehow, she supposed she didn't feel the same. But, she had never known what love was like, so how could she be sure? This surely wasn't the time nor the place to think about such things, but what about before she met him? Hadn't she thought love was rubbish? She thought it was pointless and a waste of time. How could one live their life the way they wanted to if they were busy fawning over another person? But now it seemed…

A twig snapped loudly outside the portal. Her head jerked in the direction of the noise. No one seemed to be there, not even in the forest beyond the map. Sora could have sworn she saw something, someone. Shaking her head, she stepped through the portal, the colors making her eyes burn.

Cold reptilian eyes watched her as she ran into the forest, trying to catch up with B.E.N. This man knew when she found the rest of them they would come up with their futile plans of escape, but he doubted Sora, herself, would make it to the ship… alive, anyway.

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**A/N:**

Again, let me apologize for the length… Oh, about the whole, Sora and Jim sitting in a tree thing… my friend read the reviews and forced me to add it in. Heh… Thanks, Running to Stand Still. -But seriously, thanks. It was hilarious :D

And, before I'm bombarded with this: I know Sora convincing the pirates she was still on their side was almost pointless and kind of made it confusing… just trust me, it helps something in the next chapter. So, yeah… By the way, has anyone ever heard the song 'Lonely Nation' by Switchfoot? I keep listening to it when I write. Okay, enough with the randomness…

**Defiance. **Escape was the only answer. There was no stopping the planet's destruction. All odds were against them as Silver is faced with a choice… and Sora and Grant endure a fight –to the death.


	12. Defiance

Ch.12, Defiance

Life is filled with irony. Whether it's when a person talks about another, only to see that person walking their way, or if it's when two people hate one another and end up being best friends, it's always there. Irony is almost a key ingredient in life itself. Whatever the case may be, this _thing_ we call irony isn't always wanted or amusing. Rather, it can be a horrible creature hiding around the corner and snickering at your pain. Perhaps that's what their lives turned out to be: ironic. Yet, there was no humor in the fact that these _friends_ were close to becoming _enemies…_

A shot rang out into the forest, the sound echoing against the strange canopies of green. A heart stopped… but only for a moment, out of fear. The trees' massive trunks hid the two beings well from one another, the night's shadows also playing a part. A young woman's acute ears tried picking up any sound telling of her pursuer. Nothing. Only silence met her feline ears, yet she hardly dared to breath. Faces and names flashed in her mind, and she mentally crossed some of them out. How many were left? How many had escaped, and how many had died?

Her heartbeat grew faster, and she struggled to keep her breathing unheard. Once again, she was faced with a decision. Go on, and risk leading this man to the Doctor, Captain, and B.E.N. or else lead him away- and risk not being able to leave the planet in time. She didn't have time to choose, for another bullet flew past, shattering the bark of the tree she hid behind. It narrowly missed her ear, and her eyes snapped shut as splinters flew everywhere. The ground rumbled, causing the tree to shake as Sora winced, smelling the smoke in the air. The end of this planet's time was clearly growing near.

The silence settled in quickly. Apparently, whoever had followed her had gone. At least, she hoped so. Sora inched her way around the massive trunk, desperately trying to be quiet. Still, no sound had met her ears, yet as she turned around she bumped into another being. Letting out a gasp, her wrists were grabbed tightly, but not harshly.

"Are yeh alright?" They asked. The shadows played cruelly on his face, and it was a moment before her mind registered who it was.

"Grant?" She asked, for he was the last person she thought she would see. "What- what are you doing here?"

"I could ask _you _the same question." He replied, not looking away from her.

"Yes," She started. Pausing, she knew there was something different about his gaze. "Yes, I suppose you could." She tried pulling away, but his grasp held firm. His face remained emotionless, yet as Sora looked into his cold eyes, they revealed more than he wanted. _He knows. _The thought struck like lightening and there was no doubt that it was true. _He knew all along… so why is he acting like this?_

"Do my eyes deceive me, Sora?" He said with a grin. "You look almost _frightened."_

She shook her head, attempting to pull her wrists away once more. Again, his grip tightened, and she resisted the urge to cry out in pain. "Let me go."

"Why?" He said with the grin still on his green face. "So you and your little friends can escape?"

She remained silent, for she wouldn't let herself deny it. Not again.

"I don't think so." He said with a small chuckle, but his voice grew serious quickly. "You've played _both_ sides _long enough._ Whose side are you on, Sora?" His anger made his voice shake, as the young woman before him tried not to cry out once more from the pain in her hands.

She already knew her gun lay forgotten on the floor of the pirate's longboat, but she knew another way out. "I'll let you _guess." _At that moment, she wrenched her arm out of his grasp. And, reaching behind her back, she quickly realized her gully was gone.

His tail rose over his shoulder, coiled around the handle of the knife. "Looking for this?" He sneered. She tried backing up, but his other hand did not let go. Instead, her back hit the tree behind her, just as the gully was plunged into the wood only inches from her face. She suddenly felt a lot of empathy for the cabin boy who had come on the _Legacy_ so long ago. Grant grabbed her arm again, not going to let her escape any time soon. _Of all times_, she thought miserably. _This planet's gong to be destroyed and he's not going to let either of us leave, is he?_ She asked herself.

He smirked cruelly, but she would not let herself admit to being afraid. "Why are you doing this?" She asked with a glare.

Grant's anger rose. "Why are _you _doing this, Sora?" His eyes reflected the hate in his heart, yet it was not against _her_. "Why would you defy everything we've worked for?"

She was silent, her mind almost unwilling to speak aloud the name that formed upon her lips. The night's silence was broken as a voice sounded across the area. "Hello?" It echoed. "Who's out there?"

She turned to look, but the person who spoke must have been a good distance away, for she saw no one. The pressure on her wrists disappeared, and her head snapped back to where Grant once stood. He was gone. Not a bent blade of grass or the sound of his steps gave him away.

"Hello?" She recognized it as B.E.N.'s voice. It was louder now, and she was grateful he called out when he did. The silence that followed was almost eerie. Looking around once more, she pulled her knife out of the bark. She turned to leave, but not before looking around the forest again as paranoia crept behind her. Still a bit shaken, Sora came out into the clearing where the longboat had been left. B.E.N. stood leaning on the side of the longboat as did Doppler. "Finally!" B.E.N. said as Morph flew around her head when he saw her. "The captain can't fly this thing and Doc… well, let's just not chance it."

However, when the captain and Doc saw her, she received a less _pleasant _greeting. Doppler raised a shaking hand, and the gun was badly positioned at her line of sight. "Don't… Don't come any c-closer." It was apparent that he did not want to harm a young girl. "Where is Jim?"

"Oh-" B.E.N. stuttered. "I forgot. He's-"

"Staying behind to see if he can start Flint's ship." Sora interrupted. "He wants everyone to leave if he's not back in five minutes."

"What?" Amelia and Doppler asked at the same time.

"That's what he said." B.E.N. confirmed.

Sora said nothing more, but still noticed that Doppler did not lower the gun. Perhaps she had been careless not to expect this. She carried no trust with them, so how could she hope to help them? Instead, with the calmest face she could muster, she walked over to B.E.N., thanking the heavens with each step that she did not get shot. She desperately hoped her voice hadn't been shaky, for who could stay completely calm when you have a gun to your head? "Calm down, Doc." B.E.N. said, flashing his robotic smile. "She's on our side!"

She didn't look at any of them as she walked over to the engine. After the crash of the Coracle she swore to check any engine's status before actually using it. "But I- I just don't think…" Doc exchanged looks with Captain Amelia. "I-"

"Look," Sora said, pressing a small button on the back of the engine. A small keyboard flipped out and so did a tiny screen. "First- If you're going to point a gun at someone, make sure you remember to recharge it." He was close enough that she could lift her hand and flip a small switch on the gun without looking up.

"Second- I helped Jim get the map back. He trusts me, but that doesn't give you much of a reason to." She brought her gaze up after a moment of typing. "The last thing I deserve is a second chance. And I know the gallows are awaitin' me if we ever make it off this cruddy excuse for a planet… but, I can _at least_ _help_ you now."

Doppler looked to Amelia in hopes she'd give a decision. "Perhaps," Amelia started. "On account of your age and everything... maybe the sentence-"

Several glowing plasma bullets rocketed through the trees and ricocheted off the bottom of the longboat. Luckily, no one was hurt, and neither was the longboat. B.E.N. slowly lifted his head out of the longboat of which he jumped into upon hearing the sounds. After a moment, everyone lifted their heads, clearly worried about more shots. Without making a sound, Sora crept over to the bushes, where she peered out into a large valley. Three figures in the distance were steadily making their way to where they all stood.

The sky had turned an almost red color from the smoke and fires within the core, and made it difficult for her to see who these men actually were. Then, in an instant, she held her breath. She recognized two of the men, but it was the third that caused the reaction. Grant walked with a wicked smirk playing on his face and with his gun held tightly in his reptilian hands.

Her eyes narrowed at him, though she knew he could not see her clearly. Standing up, she turned back to the rest. "It's Grant and two other men." She said plainly, taking a deep breath and thinking through what she was about to say. "I can stay here and hold them off while you get the _Legacy_ up and running. If Jim can get that ship to fly then we can all get out of here."

"What!" B.E.N. shouted. "No way! Nuh-uh. I'm not leaving my other bestest buddie here!"

She raised an eyebrow at the robot before responding. "B.E.N.-"

"Not in a million-"

"Shut up, will you?" She said sharply at him. "I have to –you all need time to get to the _Legacy_, okay?"

A sad look came upon the robot's face, but she tried to ignore it. Walking back over to the longboat, she reached in and took her gun that still lay on the floor.

"Very well."

Her head shot up as she heard the captain speak. Doppler had a surprised look come over his face, but said nothing. With one hand holding her side, Amelia took the rifle that one of the pirates had taken with them and handed it to the young woman. "This is your choice, but you'll need this."

She took the gun from the Captain with an emotionless face, and then nodded slowly. B.E.N. got into the boat reluctantly, folding his arms and huffing as Amelia took the controls. He looked like he was pouting, and she would have laughed, had she not suddenly felt the seriousness of her choice.

"So," She began, her eyes fixed blankly past the trees. "Any advice before you go?" She didn't look at him as she spoke.

B.E.N. placed a hand on his chin as the longboat moved forward slowly. "Just don't get shot!" He shouted as the boat sped away, rising quickly.

Her fists tightened. "Well, you're no help!" She called out after him. Freezing, her ears picked up the noise behind her. She clutched the gun tighter before turning around to look. A few steps and she was right at the edge of the clearing. With the bushes in front of her and a few small trees also, she narrowed her eyes at the approaching men. The rifle was raised reluctantly, and aimed accordingly. One man was in range –but she had her doubts. Could she really take down one of her former comrades? Her hand shook, but she willed it to stay firm. Once again, her heart raced and her mind was torn. These men were her comrades… no, enemies… but now-

-the gun clicked as she held her breath.

----------------------------------------

The Micriki stopped, wincing in pain, the bullet having just skimmed his arm. He cursed the woman in ways that would make any sailor sickened. Grant looked up the slope to where he had seen her face just moments before. "Odd thing, though." He said with a wicked smile, realizing her weakness. "She never misses."

The other man grunted, grasping his gun tighter. Glancing from him to Mr. Collins who was clutching his arm, Grant spoke once more. "Fan out," His gaze rose to where he knew she must have been. "We're getting out of this cursed place."

----------------------------------------

The fires consumed them.

As the treasure fell, in their attempts to save it, the two men had fallen to their deaths inside the very center of the core. The heat from the fires below was felt all across the area, possibly even on the surface of the planet, itself.

"Come back here, you blighters!" Silver shouted as some of the men had tried to escape back to the portal. He never found out if they made it or not, for a new sound met his ears. Across the way, he spotted an old ship –and oddly enough, it was starting to move slowly. His robotic eyes zoomed in and his eyes widened in shock as he saw Jim on the deck, Morph at his side. A grin swept across his features when he realized there was a way out of this yet.

On the deck of Flint's ship, Morph chirped happily as Jim took the wheel. "Yes! Morph, we are so out of here!" He said with a smile. The look was wiped clean off his face when he heard chuckling from behind him.

He turned around instantly, only to see Silver making his way closer on the deck. "Ah, Jimbo! Aren't you the seventh wonder of the universe!" The pirate finished with a grin.

Jim, looking to his right, noticed a sword sticking out of a pile of coins. Grabbing it quickly, he pointed it at the man before he could get any closer. "Get. Back." He said with a glare.

Silver looked down at the sword, his expression changing in an instant. Looking back up at the boy, there was a feeling of complete seriousness about him. "I liked yah, lad. But I've come too far to let you stand between me and me treasure." As he stepped closer, Jim backed up, his back hitting the wheel. His glare turned into a glimmer of fear. Would Silver really try to hurt him?

None would ever find out, for at that moment a beam of energy that had once fed into holes in the core struck the hull of the ship.

----------------------------------------

A blazing bullet flew less than an inch from her face and she reeled back, leaning against the trunk of a small tree. "Come on, lass," Mr. Collins' voice rose from beyond the clearing. "We know you're up there."

Remaining silent, she waited and listened. _I've got to keep them busy until B.E.N. and the rest come with the Legacy. _Another shot flew past, shattering her thoughts. If_ they come. _Keeping close to the trunk of the tree in the shadows, she peered around the side. Mr. Collins and the man who went by Johnson still crept closer, their guns and cutlasses drawn. It was then that she realized who wasn't there, just as her rifle was wrenched from her hands. Without a moment to think, she took a blow to the head. The man holding the gun now had hit her hard enough so that she tumbled past the pushes. He looked as her body lay motionless at the bottom of the slope. The dust flew up as she opened her eyes, and, through the pain in her head, managed to get up slowly. She looked up the hill to where Grant stood, emotionless. He tossed the rifle down as if it were a toy, and it rolled down the hill with a noisy clatter. It had been taken apart cleanly –for it was now in three separate pieces.

Sora narrowed her eyes at him as she withdrew her gully. In one quick second it was blown away, causing her to jump. To her left, Mr. Collins stood, his pistol still smoking. "We always knew you were weak." He commented as Grant slid down the slope without losing his balance. "Never thought you'd actually go against us, though."

"You don't know _a lot_ about me." She replied, her senses alert since these men were armed. But, once more that hated flicker of fear ran amuck in her senses, causing her voice to falter. Before another word was said, the ground shook terribly, far worse than it had earlier. She stumbled, but quickly stood straight again, using this distraction to grab the grip of her gun. Grant, however, watched her like a hawk all the while, but she desperately hoped he hadn't seen her just then. Already, in the distance, Sora could see large masses of land floating upward, no longer having any hold from the planet's gravity. Clouds of flame were beneath them, lurking there for the unwary to step.

Grant must have noticed this, for his voice held an authority that made all those who were present listen. "You two had better catch that longboat 'afore it leaves. Wouldn't want to get stuck here now, would we?" The two men exchanged glances but nodded, agreeing quickly.

Sora remained expressionless, knowing they would find nothing. Johnson and Collins headed up the slope, despite the fact the ground still trembled. "Now," Grant said, looking back at her. "I think it's time we had a little… talk."

Glaring at him, she stepped back quickly, before freezing in med-step. It felt as if there was an earthquake –one of the worst this planet had seen yet. Cracks appeared in the ground, though they were so straight in places that one would think they weren't natural. An orange glow came from underneath, and just as she thought the cracks were headed toward where she and Grant stood, they curved around. They formed the outline of a large area, only a few feet in front of her and ending about ten feet past the top of the hill. Mr. Collins turned on his heel, making it back to the starting point in a moment. Johnson, however, sprinted toward the top of the slope and, in an instant, was consumed by the fires that sprang from other cracks in the land mass. She heard his cries, but looked away, feeling the heat upon her face. The block of land he had once stood on shifted, moving away at a diagonal direction from the onlookers.

Sora felt like the breath had been drawn from her lungs. Everyone remained silent for a moment, before the Micriki turned to her. "What now?" He said. "That longboat wasn't up there was it? If it were, you woulda reacted somewhat." She stayed silent. "Where are they?" Again there was silence.

"Lass," He said, drawing his cutlass once more. "You'd better start talking."

She stepped back again, but the ground that should have been there wasn't present. Nearly slipping, she regained her balance after a moment. Mr. Collins lifted his sword a bit higher, but Grant put his hand forward, stopping him. "Sora," He said with a stern look. "Tell us where they are."

Unable to speak, she merely shook her head in response. Grant stepped forward, pulling out his own pistol. The urge to step back was too strong, for she almost lost balance once more. With one hand, he grabbed her wrist, steadying her at the same time. The gun was pressed to her neck as he spoke in a quiet but harsh tone. "_You _want to get off this planet as much as everyone else. _Where are they?"_

She glared in response. "We'll _all die_ here before I tell you _anything_." She said with complete defiance written across her face. As she spoke, the ground shook once again, knocking them both to the ground. The pistol she had been holding behind her back fell onto the ground a few feet in front of her. Just as she reached out quickly to take it, she stopped with a small gasp. When another wave of tremors swept across the planet, the ground underneath Collins' feet had given way. He had managed to grab onto the edge of the block of land that remained, but, unfortunately, the blocks were moving even more freely now –some of them actually colliding. It was because of this that he lay with his face on the ground to the side, laying in a puddle of dark red blood.

Grant stood a few feet away now, looking down at the body that still reached forward. He gazed at the man without any expression other than that of disgust. It was then that she wondered how any living being could be so heartless; at the same time, she stood up, grabbing the gun that lay on the ground. A few still and silent moments passed before he even noticed that she was there. He turned to her swiftly, without emotion, but in his eyes she saw a hidden pain and fury burning like no other. This is what sparked the fear in her, and she tried to turn and escape. But, already as she did so, he was behind her quickly, grabbing her arms so she could move no more. Still she persisted, struggling to be free of his grasp.

With one arm, he held her still, and as for the other –she guessed quickly as a gun was pressed into her neck. Roughly, he turned her so as to look at her face to face. Even with the gun to her neck, her expression made her seem unafraid. "Are you going to shoot me?" Her voice held no fear and she spoke in a casual tone.

He tightened his grip on the pistol. "I _should_." He answered.

"Why?" Her monotone matched her expressionless face.

Grant spoke with an anger that could've matched her own. "I should kill you right now for all you've gone against! The plan was simple, Sora. You screwed everything up after you met that boy. Can't you see how much he's changed in you?"

"Yes, I _can_." She replied. "But I might just be thankful for that."

As his grip tightened, she tried not to wince. "How _can_ you be? You're no longer the same woman I knew. He's made you soft."

Her eyes narrowed, but she said nothing. Yet, as she looked straight into his eyes, she grinned and spoke in nothing but a whisper. "You can't do it." No expression crossed his features as she almost laughed under her breath. "You can't kill me, can you?" She scoffed.

He scowled as he replied. "I could kill you if I wanted too." His face moved closer to hers as he spoke.

"Yet," With each word spoken her confidence grew. "You don't." As she whispered into his ear, she tried not to shiver since she could feel his breath on her neck. "I don't think you could want that. The guilt… would just… _eat_ away at you."

He was too distracted by the fact that she had willingly moved closer to him and –she could most certainly use this to her advantage. Taking him by surprise, she brought her fist up in a hard punch. As he stumbled back, his head hit the ground hard. In an instant she kicked his gun out of his hand and it slid all the way to the edge of the block they were on. He held his jaw with a bit of shock on his face. With her gun pointed at him, she still could feel no relief. Behind the mask of courage, she was terrified.

Grant stood up slowly, mumbling under his breath. "You always did throw a good punch." She could clearly see the blood running down his chin as he spoke. He looked back up at her with a grin. "_Cheater_."

She kept an angry look on her face as she recalled his words spoken long ago. "I thought we all were."

He laughed almost inaudibly, wiping the blood off of his face. "I suppose so…"

The tension was thick as they fell into silence. Her gun still aimed at him, she took a step back. Her hand brushed the vines hanging off of the tree behind her as she kept her eyes on him. He made no move, but seemed to just now notice the damage the planet had received. Hardly any of the strange green foliage remained, and the lone trees that still existed stayed persistent in clinging to the floating blocks.

Without warning of any noise or tremble, the ground shifted drastically. It felt as if the land had been pulled out from beneath her feet. With no ground behind her, she fell backwards, dropping the gun. As quickly as she could, she grasped the vines of the tree that clung to the edge of the block. Her eyes were shut tightly, but as she opened them, she realized she still hung on. It was a terrible feeling, having no ground beneath your feet. Desperately, she hoped she would be able to get herself back up.

Meanwhile, Grant merely smirked, but did not move any closer to her. Instead, he briskly walked back to where his gun had been kicked and picked it up, nonchalantly. Slipping it into his belt, he watched Sora as she managed to pull herself back onto the block. As she got to her feet, she quickly noted her pistol had fallen at least ten feet away. Cursing under her breath, she knew she could only wait to see what would happen next.

From a good distance away, Grant sneered at her, casually looking down and seeming to notice Collins' sword. "Enough of this," He said rather loudly, leaning down and picking up the cutlass that lay forgotten in front of Mr. Collins' body. As a small tremor swept across the area, the body fell into the fires below, leaving the bloody remains.

"Let's settle this like gentlemen," He continued. "Well… one of us, at least." And with that he threw her the sword as he pulled out his own. She caught it by the hilt, yet did not raise it. For a moment, she doubted his seriousness. How could he expect her to fight him? They had been… well, something _close_ to friends. Their pasts couldn't just be put aside that quickly; there were so many complications that he just didn't seem to be considering.

Yet, as she saw the position of his sword and the stance of his body, she knew he was really going to fight her. At that moment, she did not know if she _could_ fight him. Ordinarily, they were evenly matched… but, one slip up… one disadvantage… one unseen variable and it could possibly cost her the one life she had. Without realizing she did so, her arm lifted the sword and she took on a familiar mind-set. "Fine then, have it your way." She muttered through clenched teeth. At once, he closed the space between them, with a clash of steel.

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The force of the impact threw both man and boy over the edge of the ship. Luck and chance seemed to follow over their shoulders, for they both fell onto a piece of land that remained unharmed, but slightly slanted. Silver had a strong hand on the side of the ship's railing, but Jim tumbled past the edge. Bright, burning fires could be seen from below them, and this didn't make things any easier. As Jim fell forward, his hands hit the side of another block of land. It was like a wall, and he slid quickly, trying to grab onto something.

And then, just as the heat from the fires grew stronger, his hands hit a piece of metal, extending only inches from the metal wall. He struggled to hang on, and quickly realized that the piece was slowly moving into the block of land. Morph flew around his head once, as if to reassure him, and then zipped back to where Silver stood.

The pirate watched as the beam of energy once again hit the hull and seemed to start to cut through the ship. "Oh, no, you don't!" He grunted as he pulled the ship closer to himself. Lucky for him, it was a small ship, and it bobbed up and down before moving closer to the block of land.

Morph flew up to his shoulder and started chirping insistently. "What?" He said. Morph flew behind his head, and caused him to change his view. His mechanical eye zoomed in on Jim's hands, and he quickly saw that the boy was losing his grip. "Jimbo…"

His robotic arm switched to something better in order to hold the ship steady as he stretched out his other arm. "Reach for me, now! Reach!"

With only inches of a gap, Jim felt doubt creep into his mind. "I- I can't!" Only seconds later, the piece of metal he clung to moved in all the way and he slid down another two or three feet until he grabbed another piece.

"I-" Silver looked back and forth between the boy and the treasure sitting so innocently on the deck of the ship. "I…" He had a choice- Jim's life, or a life-long obsession. Yet, he still hesitated.

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She fought with hesitation, trying her best to forget everything. _Fight. Don't think._ And fight she did. Their swords met each others with vigorous strength and timing. The sound of the metal clashing resembled, all too well, Flint's treasure as it also fell into the pirate's unmerciful trap. She stayed silent, even through his occasional taunting. Her mind focused on one thing- stay alive. No other thoughts were allowed to cross her mind, for she knew that could be the downfall of any swordsman.

"Just answer me this, Sora," He said, grunting as the swords struck again. "Was it really that boy who made you defy everything?"

She remained silent, trying not to listen and instead concentrate on the battle at hand. Missing him once again, she doubted either of them would be able to overcome the other. Their swords hit again, and she stepped back a foot or two, catching her breath.

"So what was it?" He asked again, smirking. "Why are you giving it up?"

Despite her efforts, her anger caused her to answer. "Because it's wrong!" She muttered quite loudly. As he swung and their swords collided, she took a quick breath.

"It's always been wrong, Sora!" He shouted, with an almost insane smile. "That's what made it fun!"

Glaring, she tried to ignore the fact she was growing more tired by the minute. Her arms ached, but she showed no signs. "You call having the authorities after us every minute of every day…" She paused as the swords scraped against one another's. "… fun?"

He laughed. "Call me crazy, then." The man smirked at her as his sword crashed down upon hers.

The force was too much and she stumbled back a few feet before regaining balance. Without a moment's hesitation, she raised her sword once more just as a piercing noise reached her sensitive ears. The blocks of land that once made up the planet were, in fact, completely made of steel or some other kind of metal. And, being so, they made an unbearable sound as they scraped against one another. Grant stood still, completely unfazed by the noise. Her head rang, and she could endure it no longer. She dropped the sword, clamping her hands over her ears in a vain attempt to block out the noise.

The effort proved unsuccessful, and from the pain in her head, she fell to her knees with a moan. The thoughts rushed through her mind… he could kill her now. She was not a threat any longer. Even now, she couldn't even see what was happening around her. When in pain, other thoughts seem forgotten and the only thing you are able to think about is that unyielding suffering.

And, as quickly as it came, the sound left. Her head still ringing, she just barely managed to open her eyes. Looking to where he had once stood, she realized Grant had disappeared. Her hands fell to her sides and she struggled to stand again. Her vision blurring for a moment, she staggered. With one hand to her head, she opened her eyes once more, the orange light from the fires below and the red tint in the sky adding to her headache.

After a few seconds, still he did not appear… but, feeling no reassurance, she reached down to take up the cutlass. Her fingers touched the hilt and picked it up slowly, the blade grating the ground as she lifted it. "You wanted a fight." Her voice sounded muffled to her own ears, yet as she continued talking, it grew clearer. "Yet you act like a coward."

She could hear the faint sound of him laughing, but she could not tell from where it came. "You think I'm hiding?" He answered.

Staring at the ground in front of her, she didn't bother looking around, for she knew she would not see him. "_You_ treat this like a game." Her reply sounded louder in her ears, but she made no indication that she could now hear normally.

"Why can't I?" His response clearly came from her left, but she didn't react.

"Our lives are on the line, Grant." Her monotone didn't match the anger on her face.

"Yes," He said with a chuckle. "But I thought you doubted I would kill you."

"You know what I meant!" Her voice grew louder as she tightened her grip on the hilt of the sword. "This planet is going to be blown into oblivion. There isn't much time and you want to stay here and prolong the suffering of us both!"

The silence filled the air, but she could hear his breathing, still from her left. "Suffering?" He asked after a moment.

She shook her head, the anger building. "Why can't you accept that I no longer want to be a part of that? Why can't you see that I don't want to be on your side?"

"Because," He said. "It hardly seems your own choice."

"What do you mean?" She asked. "It's my choice and my choice alone. I can't see how you would care- or why you're so angry with me over this!"

Listening to his footsteps as he walked around her, she felt the tension between them grow. "I'm not angry with _you_, just disappointed."

Her eyebrows furrowed from the emphasis on the word. "Who are you angry with?"

She heard him take a deep breath before continuing. "Who started all this?" He said in a quiet voice, from behind her back. "Who was the one who finally got through to you? Who was the one who found a place in your heart, well enough so that when the mutiny began they were able to escape with help from the enemy's traitor?"

Not moving, realization hit her hard as he spoke. "Who was the one who convinced you, after three_ years_ of piracy, to give it all up? Who told you that you could rebuild the so called _trust_ you two once had… the one who supposedly '_loves_' you?"

Her other hand clenched into a fist as she spoke. "If you're angry with him, then why fight _me_?"

Once again, he stood to her left, and without looking up she knew how close he was. A shiver ran up her spin as he spoke in a hate-filled whisper. "Because _you_ started to _listen_."

He must have doubted she could hear clearly, for when she lifted her sword, surprise hit him quickly, even if she could not see it on his face. Before he could make any move, she felt the cutlass make contact… and did so without much regret. He stumbled back, the pain in his arm causing him to be unable to concentrate on blending in with the background. His back hitting the trunk of one of the many remaining trees behind him, he became fully visible.

He slid down a few inches, clutching his arm tightly, the blood showing from between his fingers. Being his left arm that had been sliced up pretty badly, he knew he could still hold a gun -but as he looked up, he saw her drop the sword to the ground. Her face was emotionless, yet he could see right through her –the guilt would set in soon. She took a few steps back, and he could see her hands trembling. A few more steps were taken until she finally turned around and ran towards the edge of the block.

Not looking back, she was only a few yards away from the edge when she saw her gun. The pistol lay on the ground, forgotten; and when she bent down and took it, she looked back at him as she slid the gun back into the belt behind her back. Yet… there was nothing to look at. He was gone.

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The shimmer of gold upon the deck, and the sight of the young man losing his hold ran across the man's mind instantly. Whatever he did, he would have to decide quickly. The beams of energy still carved through the core and Silver knew the planet's time grew short. His heart beat was heard in his ears, and he took one _last _glance at Flint's treasure. "Oh! Blast me for a fool!" He said and slid down the block of land just as Jim fell with a shout. His grip on the boy's hand was strong –and he swung him up.

Jim's breathing was ragged as he pulled himself to a sitting position. He watched as Silver looked another way towards the ship that now floated freely. They looked on as another beam hit the hull, causing the entire thing to break into pieces. The coins fell with a loud noise, and they both covered their heads so as to not get hit by any of them.

Without saying a word, they headed back to the portal, both running at a fast pace. As they emerged from the core, the portal sent a rippling wave of colors from where they both passed through. Jim, finally being able to catch his breath, spoke first. "Silver, you gave up-"

"Just a life long obsession, Jim." He said, wiping his forehead, and sighing. "I'll get over it."

Jim whirled around as he heard his name. "Aloha, Jimmy!" A happy voice cried out.

The Legacy came to a slow stop near the portal, with B.E.N. waving like a maniac at the helm. "Hurry, people!" He said quickly. "We've got exactly seven minutes and forty-two seconds until planet's destruction!"

Doppler was behind the wheel, with Amelia instructing him, of course. "You're doing fine, Doctor." She said.

"Now, ease her over, gently." The ship scraped the side of the canyon wall. "Gently!" The captain said more forcefully.

From underneath the deck, the pirates that had survived sat bound, some gagged, and… terrified. "Aah! We were better off on exploding planet!" Mr. Onus shouted.

Jim and Silver quickly climbed onto the deck, relieved, knowing they were leaving all that chaos behind. "Take us out of here, metal man!" The captain instructed B.E.N.

"Aye, Captain!" He replied, for once, in a serious tone.

Silver made his way up the stairs to the helm. Stopping, he looked up to where the Captain stood with a smile on his face. "Captain, you dropped from the heavens in the nick of-"

"Save your claptrap for the judge, Silver." She promptly replied.

His hearty chuckle soon turned to a quite sad one. Jim climbed past him and stopped in his tracks as he reached the helm and turned to B.E.N. quickly. "B.E.N., where's Sora?"

The robot's blue eyes widened. "Oh- right, you see… about that-" He stuttered. "She kinda volunteered to stay behind and hold off some pirate guys so we could get to the ship."

"What?" He asked in astonishment. "Who?"

"Um… some guy name Grant."

The shock showed on both his face and Silver's. "What?" They both shouted at the same time.

B.E.N. shrunk back, still stuttering. "Man, relax. We're gonna go get her, right Captain?"

Amelia nodded, and said something to Doppler that Jim couldn't hear. As he felt the ship change in direction, his thoughts were racing –how could she stay behind? She was supposed to be on the ship, safe. He did know that she could be stubborn, and he knew that she could take care of herself. But, he still worried, for he knew how dangerous that one man was.

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Her breath caught in her throat and she looked around quickly, not really expecting to see him. Cursing under her breath, she glanced around once more before a sharp pain was felt in her stomach. Wincing, she fell to her knees, feeling as though she had been kicked. With a hand holding her side, she moaned softly, trying to keep her eyes open despite the pain. She saw no one, but knew he was still there. A moment of silence passed before she was suddenly pulled to her feet –painfully. Her eyes screwed shut in pain as her hands gripped the wrist of the man who had a fistful of her hair.

"Leaving so soon?" Grant whispered harshly in her ear. As she elbowed him in the ribs, he let go, but recovered quickly and had an arm around her immediately. Surprised by his strength, she still struggled to move.

Her arms were pinned to her sides, and it quickly became hard to breathe. "Can't you just be a decent person for once?" She managed to choke out.

He merely laughed at her before answering. "I will when you are!" Certainly, he seemed unwilling to let her go, for even when he saw the bow of a ship in the distance he did not let his guard down. After a moment, she too saw the _Legacy_ as the ship dodged and weaved about in the floating blocks of land. Never had something as ordinary as a ship given her so much hope… at first.

The large galleon sailed towards the block they stood on, and as she neared around ten yards away from the edge she slowed. Sora could see Doctor Doppler at the wheel, concentrating on getting the ship closer. With B.E.N. at his side, she could faintly hear what the robot shouted to the remaining crew. "Five minutes until planet's destruction!"

After this, she noticed no one else other than the young man standing on the deck, concern plastered on his features. Continuing to struggle, she instantly froze when a gun was pressed into her neck once more.

"Perfect." He said; quiet enough so that only she heard him. "I can kill you _slowly_ in front that boy."

"Let me go!" She shouted as she attempted to be free of his grasp.

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On the deck of the _Legacy_, Jim could finally see the two of them clearer. "Sora!" He saw the gun to her neck and had never felt more terrified in his life. Her life lay in the hands of that man… and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

"Well come on now, lad." Grant said loudly. "Come out here so you can see the life leave her eyes!"

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Things became a blur… she could see his wicked smirk and Jim's glare towards the man; she could hear B.E.N.'s warning once more, and the sound of the small explosions that still continued from the center of the planet. "Don't!" She called out.

She could see the confusion in Jim's face and the anger in Grant's, yet she continued. "Just leave! There isn't much time left!"

As the smoke from underneath the block grew thicker, she could no longer get a good look at anyone standing on the ship's deck. "You know he won't." He whispered against the skin of her neck as she shuddered. It seemed like they both waited until the smoke cleared and they could both see the ship once more… but without giving much of a hint, Sora found she could get one of her arms free. And, that was all she needed.

Before he could react, she reached up and grabbed his wrist, pushing the gun away from her neck. As he tried to stop her she suddenly had both arms free from him and made sure the gun pointed skyward. She fought to keep him from gaining control of it –but even she couldn't deny the fact that he was stronger than her. The gun fired once or twice but she didn't notice. Though she knew not why, she seemed to gain the upper hand, and as fast as she could manage, twisted his arm behind him. He dropped the gun instantly, and she kicked him hard in the back, sending him tripping forward.

She backed up a few feet, and, before he could scramble to his feet, rushed to the edge of the block of land. Stopping a few feet from the edge, she could see the smile upon the young man's face but could not hear his sigh of relief.

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From his right, he heard Silver chuckle as she made it to the edge. Jim could see no smile on her lips, but could still sense the relief in her eyes. A small glimmer of hope entered his mind –she was safe now. They just needed to get the ship a bit closer and then they would all leave this place. It would all be over… wouldn't it?

"A bit closer." Amelia instructed Doppler as the _Legacy _grew nearer and nearer to the block.

They must have been only a couple of yards away when Jim felt like he couldn't breathe. "Sora, behind you!" He shouted and she instantly turned around.

She glared at the man who stood a few yards away from her now, no longer smirking as before. But, she quickly looked over her shoulder as she heard the ship moan and creak. A rather thin piece of metal struck the hull. It may have been thin, but was still a few feet wide and many, many feet long. Still scraping the hull, it seemed to push the ship away and block the view of anyone on the ship. She could not see anyone standing on the deck, for now she wasn't even able to see any part of the ship at all.

Her ears perked up as she heard a gun power up. She returned her attention to the man who now had his gun pointed at her. Without a moment's thought, she brought hers out also, her emotions spinning. "It's come to this, then?" She said in a shaky voice. He made no move at all, an angry look still on his face. As she spoke, she shook her head. "Please don't."

"I've had enough of this game of cat and mouse." He mumbled.

"You know I can't miss." Biting her lip, she felt the tears at the corners of her eyes but tried her best not to show any emotion. "Don't do this. You can come back with us all. Prison has to be better than dying here, isn't it?" Her voice shook and she found she couldn't quite catch her breath.

"I'm sorry, Sora." He muttered with a glare.

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Gunshot.

It was all those on board the Legacy heard next.


	13. With or Without a Goodbye

**A/N:**

Sorry for the wait, the cliffhanger, and my unbearable procrastination.

Disclaimer: Don't make me say it again.

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Gunshot…a sharp intake of breath…a disappointed sigh…

All went as he expected; she stood across the way with her eyes closed tightly, no bullets missing from her pistol. Still holding her breath, she opened her eyes, only to somehow realize what she held in her hand. In an instant, she dropped the gun, a terrified look on her face. Feeling like the breath had been knocked from her, she struggled to keep a steady flow of air to her lungs. Still, as expected, she took a few steps back from where she dropped her gun, and suddenly looked up at him.

His arm still straight, and the gun still aimed, he remained emotionless. There was no reaction shown on his face from what had just happened except disappointment. He cast his gaze to the ground, glaring at it. With another disappointed sigh, he lowered the gun until his arm hung at his side. It took Sora a moment to realize what had happened. He was a good shot –better than most, yet she stood there unscathed. She did not fire, and for reasons that just now rose to the surface of her mind.

The confusion grew with each passing second. It was as plain as day to her –even if she didn't know the reason behind it. He had _clearly_ missed. The metal wall, so to speak, now bore the burn mark of the bullet. And, because of its motion, the mark was at least a few_ more_ yards away.

"You didn't shoot." Grant stated plainly, but somehow expecting an answer.

So, she gave it to him. "I couldn't." He didn't even look up at her when she spoke. It would've been an easy shot –and she knew that as well as he did. She could've killed him with the aim she had been born with… but she didn't. And now, it seemed he wanted to know why.

She continued. "I- We used to care about each other _so much_…" He lifted his head at the reference. "…and even though that changed, you're- you're still my friend." She swallowed once, but still had trouble getting this out. "Look what's happened." She whispered disappointedly, gesturing. "What's become of us? We're acting like enemies… I don't want that." The silence consumed the moment as she waited for a reply.

But that reply never came. With her words on his heart, a look of realization came over his face, but only for a moment. They seemed to have no affect whatsoever, for, again, his faced returned to an emotionless state. And then, he threw away his gun as if he no longer cared. About anything.

With a look full of the worst kind of apathy, he ran his fingers through his silver hair. Rolling his eyes, his expression changed to that of frustration. "…Bloody _hell_!" He whispered angrily at the ground. Though he didn't show it, Sora could see the shock in his eyes, and would've given anything to know his thoughts at the moment.

He had almost killed her –Sora! The girl he had known for the last three or four years… and he had almost killed her. He stumbled back a few steps, only causing her look of confusion to grow. She didn't understand; Why was he suddenly acting like this? It almost seemed like he was regretting this…

Her thoughts where shattered when the ground shook and she was sent to her knees. When she brought her gaze up, she saw the large crack in the ground, running across the entire block –directly under Grants boots. He looked down, also, but with an unconcerned face. He merely took a step back, glancing towards his left, where the portal shimmered off in the distance. Then, looking towards Sora where he could almost see the bow of the Legacy just past the metal wall, he took another step back. After only a few seconds the block tore in half, the smaller half floating away.

Sora was on her feet in an instant. Running all the way to the edge where he had once stood, she was stopped when a hot gust of wind, filled with glowing embers, came up from below the block. With a small gasp, she covered her face with her arms. When the heat faded, she looked to where she thought he would be, but saw nothing but the smoke that was concealing the block he stood on. "Grant!" Calling out didn't help –he was gone.

Running a hand through her hair, she cursed loudly. And, as she closed her eyes, she tried shutting out the world around her, though it was near impossible. It was hard to grasp reality; Had that really happened? Had he really chosen his fate so quickly after fighting for it countless times?

She felt the heat of the deadly fires below, and she could hear someone calling her name from the deck of the _Legacy_; she could no longer deny the fact this was not a dream.

Then why did this all feel like a terrible nightmare?

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She was just standing there.

As the _Legacy_ pulled around the heavy debris, the view of the block became clear, as did the one individual who was still standing on it. Even after calling out her name, she did not respond. Her face was terribly pale with recent shock, and she seemed on the verge of tears –but it was well known that she wouldn't give in to nonsense like that.

"Sora!" Still, after calling out her name once more, she didn't even seem to notice him. Jim watched her, silently cursing himself for not letting her stay with him on Flint's ship. Somehow, he knew it would've played out differently… and she wouldn't be like this, now.

Suddenly, she looked up, no surprise showing on her face when she caught sight of the ship. She glanced at him with a stoic face, holding back whatever emotion would have naturally been on her face. After a few moments, the ship came alongside the block, and she quickly walked forward. With a steady grip on a rope from the shrouds, she stepped onto the railing. She glanced back over her shoulder, surveying the fires erupting past the edges of the blocks.

The minute her shoes touched the deck, she somehow felt like she was safe –a feeling that was a bit foreign to her. The shock of what had just happened hadn't gone away yet, and probably wouldn't for a long time. She leaned against the railing, trying to catch her breath and stay focused on what was happening in the present. Looking up, she saw Silver smile as he walked over, B.E.N.'s awkward grin and Amelia and Doppler's faces when they saw her. She could tell she was a bit unwanted for so many obvious reasons. She also didn't care, much, since she'd take prison rather than dying any day.

"Are you okay?" Jim's voice brought her back from her racing thoughts.

She looked over at him. "Fine." She answered just as Silver joined them.

"Where's Grant?" He asked, though she could tell he didn't want to.

She tried to answer, but found she couldn't. At least, not now. Instead, she merely shook her head in an attempt to get the point across; He's dead. Silver nodded in understanding and headed up the stairs to the helm.

Jim watched her face, knowing she wouldn't want to explain what had happened. The sadness showed in her eyes quite clearly, though it was evident that she was trying to hide it. In truth, Jim almost hated the man. But, he could see how terribly shaken up she was about it, yet he was having a hard time trying to sympathize.

"Come on," He said quietly, holding out a hand. She stared down at the ground for a moment, still keeping the same grim look she had when she boarded the ship. After a second, she took his hand and they started to walk towards the stairs.

Yet, before they could get there, a loud cracking sound filled the air. All eyes looked to the top of one of the masts, where a large heap of metal had smashed against the wood, tearing the sails in the process. Bits of the mast came down quickly, one large piece crushing one of the cannons. Jim and Sora jumped back as shrapnel littered the deck, both trying to catch their breath.

And, if that hadn't been startling enough, the words spoken next were even more so.

"Missile tail demobilized, Captain," B.E.N. informed Amelia while typing away steadily at the helm. "Thrusters at only thirty-percent of capacity." His words struck those aboard quickly.

"Thirty-percent?" Doppler repeated, as if to confirm what he had heard. "That means we're- we'll never clear the planet's explosion in time."

A solemn moment passed over the deck, and an invisible cloud of doubts-fulfilled hung over them. Sora shook her head in disbelief. After all they had gone through to get this far… would it rally end this quickly? Jim, his head filled with similar thoughts, kept his gaze fixed on the portal. An idea sparked, but the flaws soon became evident.

"But what about the portal?" Jim asked. "Can't we just use that?"

Doppler, of course, was the first to respond. "Pardon me, Jim," Starting in a calm tone, his voice grew loud with each word. "But didn't that portal open onto a raging inferno?"

"Well, yes." Jim said. "But there has to be a way to change it, right?" He knew the portal was at least a half mile away by now, and with minutes left and no clear way to get there, his hopes seemed crushed.

Silver glanced back at the portal, noticing something strange. His robotic eyes zoomed in on it, to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

B.E.N., meanwhile, had spoken up. "Um, this is a nice idea and all, but, uh… we've got a problem." When everyone looked up at him all at once he shrunk back a bit, almost as if he was embarrassed. "Uh, well, you see- It seems the portal is… malfunctioning." He finished, pointing towards it.

Indeed, when every eye turned towards their only means of escape, they saw that a different door had been opened. Only a second passed before a different door appeared, though no one had touched the map.

"Flint knew that when the planet was set for destruction, the map would go along with it. But, since he didn't actually build it, he never thought it could last this long." B.E.N. continued. "It was built by some ancient race, and it seems it was stronger than last thought. If it's lasted this long, it should stay long enough for us to get over there… but…"

"Spit it out, B.E.N." Sora said suddenly, but not very rudely. She looked over at the portal, which was violently changing now, before speaking again. "What is it?"

The robot coughed nervously. "Well, if a new door is pressed manually, then I suppose it would stay open long enough for us to get _completely_ through. But, if not… um." Everyone exchanged nervous glances. "I don't want to think about it, really."

"So all we need to do is pick one of the places on the map –from down there." Jim confirmed. B.E.N. nodded, still in his nervous state.

"Sounds like a plan." He said with joking confidence as a far-fetched idea sprang up after he looked over on the deck where the plasma cannon had been broken to bits. It was near impossible, but as he did the quick calculations in his head, he realized it just might work. _If a solar surfer engine and the canon are built from similar components…_ His thoughts raced as he climbed down the stairs, hurriedly.

"What?" Sora asked, a completely confused look on her face.

"I'll just go down there and pick out a destination." He said, not looking over his shoulder, with a tone that made him seem like he thought nothing of it.

"And how do you propose to get down there in the first place?" She followed him, doubting every inch of his plan.

He remained silent for a moment, pulling over a part of the shell of the cannon. After setting it down on the deck, he hauled another part of the cannon on top of it. It was a piece of the inter-mechanism, and judging from the three small canisters inside of it, she guessed it caused the propulsion that made the cannon shoot. It was then that she realized he was building a crude solar surfer –well, just some kind of surfer.

He looked over at her for a second with a grin. "This should work."

Doppler shot the Captain a nervous glance. "Captain, really, I just don't see how this could possibly-"

"Listen to the boy!" Silver suddenly snapped at the Doctor. He headed down the stairs to the deck where Jim was trying to attach the make-shift engine to the strip of metal with a length of rope.

"What do you need, Jim?" On one knee, he surveyed what the boy had made.

"Just some way to attach this." He replied, trying to tie the rope.

"Alright, stand back." Silver said, his robotic arm changing to a small torch. "Stand back now." He finished as he welded the two pieces together. Sora and Jim both stepped back quickly avoiding the sparks.

When he was done, he helped Jim lift the surfer onto the railing, where it balanced there for a moment. "There you go." Silver murmured as he lifted it.

"There you go." Mimicked Morph.

Once Jim found his footing on the board, he looked to Silver. "Ok, now, no matter _what_ happens keep the ship heading _straight_ for that portal." He said in all seriousness.

"Fifty-eight seconds!" B.E.N. called out in the background.

Silver's face showed his concern for the boy, but he said nothing. Jim glanced over at Sora for only a moment before kicking the small lever on the engine and propelling forward, knowing that if it were a second longer, he wouldn't be able to go.

Sora watched as his form grew smaller the farther he got. She nearly jumped when Silver shouted up to the helm.

"Well, you heard him. Get this blasted heap turned around!" He commanded.

Captain Amelia looked a bit shocked when one of the mutinous crew gave an order, but, nonetheless, she couldn't object. "Doctor, head us back to the portal." She said to Doppler.

The man paused before complying. "Aye, Captain." He said as he turned the wheel.

Still looking over the side, Sora couldn't help but feel frustrated with Jim. He had to be completely insane to do this! Whether she was trying to hide her worries or not, she felt they could've at least tried to find a way out of this that didn't include him risking his life.

Across the broken surface of the planet, it took Jim a few seconds to get the hang of the winds rising from the core. The board lurched one way and then the other, but he quickly adapted to the rough currents of wind.

He could feel the scorching fires not far beneath him, but he tried to keep his focus on the finish line- the portal. It was in human nature to slow down before the finish line in any race, against time or not, and he would have to keep his speed up in order to not lose time. After all, time wasn't really on his side for the moment.

Swerving a large block floating in front of him, he quickly got back on course. Pieces of metal and shrapnel littered the skies and he tilted the board so as to zigzag around them. Suddenly, he found he was losing speed and altitude, and kicked the lever at the back of the engine, using another canister to propel the board farther.

In his mind, he pictured the ship behind him, but was afraid of looking back because of all the obstacles. Without warning, a piece of metal seemed to shoot out of the air right into his path. Shifting his weight on the board, he managed not to collide with it, and, instead, let the board grind of the surface before pulling it away again.

The Legacy, only a dozen yards behind him, scraped the side of a block loudly, sparks shooting at angles from the impact. "To the right," Amelia shouted at the helm to Doppler. "The right!"

"I know!" Doppler snapped. "I know! Will you just let me drive?" Finishing, he pulled the wheel violently to the right.

"Twenty-five seconds!" B.E.N. shouted over the madness.

Narrowly missing another block, the board Jim rode on suddenly gave out once more. He was losing altitude fast, and had to get it back up again before the thing flew over a large crevasse only a few yards in front of him. But, when he tried to start the engine again, it wouldn't work. He kicked the lever again but to no avail.

"No!" He muttered, kicking it again as the surfer glided down over the crevasse and then lost any momentum it had and hurtling downward. "No!" He yelled, trying once more to start the engine as he fell deeper and deeper towards the fiery core below.

On the deck of the ship, Silver muttered under his breath. "Come on, lad." He said through clenched teeth.

Biting her lip, Sora leaned over the side, but could not see him anymore. Murmuring various oaths, she wished for nothing more than the chance to see him again.

Again, he kicked the lever, shouting once more. It obviously was not going to work, but what else was he supposed to do? He had to think fast, yet it was hard knowing your death lay only about a hundred feet beneath you.

Then, he mind took hold of a thought. All the engine needed was a spark. With this he shifted his weight to the back of the board and swung it around. The engine's back screeched terribly as it made contact with the wall of the crevasse.

It did not stop his descent by much, but, after a moment, sparks showered down upon the wall. And then, as he felt the heat of the fires below increase, the board suddenly rocketed upward. As he neared the opening of the crevasse, the _Legacy_'s hull flew over him. Pulling the board, it swerved to fly perpendicular to the ship, gaining speed as he neared the small, glowing map.

Its green light was a beacon, easy to see amidst the orange and red glow of the area. From the helm, B.E.N. started counting down. "Seven… six… five…" Jim heard his voice grow more nervous with each second.

The map was close, very close and he knew he only had to press one destination to save their lives.

"…Four… three…" The map was only a few feet away- "…Two…" The bow of the _Legacy_ was only a few feet away from the portal's changing surface when he stretched out a hand to the map. And, just as he felt his fingers touch the small green crescent, the world was thrown into darkness.

Everything was dead silent.

It lasted for only a moment, but it made everyone's thoughts jump to the possibility they hadn't made it. Then, in a bright, multicolored flash of light, the spaceport seemed to burst in front of their eyes. The shining crescent, against the blue backdrop of stars, was possibly the most reassuring, and beautiful, sight they could've seen at that moment.

"Yes!" Jim shouted, punching a fist into the air. He couldn't help but laugh at his momentary doubts when they passed through the portal.

Still keeping his balance, he glanced at the _Legacy_'s deck, where he could see the smiling and relieved faces of all his friends. He brought the board around to one side of the ship, and as he flew across the deck, he high-fived Silver. "Didn't I say the lad had greatness in him?" Silver asked no one in particular, a proud look on his face. Morph, chirping happily, turned into some small fireworks in celebration.

Sora ran over to the side as he let the board grind on the railing. Then, as he jumped off, what once was part of the cannon fell away into the etherium, joining the other debris from the explosion.

He jumped onto the deck loudly, grateful enough to have landed on some steady ground. After he caught his breath, he looked up to see Sora standing before him, arms crossed over her chest, with a look that shouted 'What were you thinking?' She looked almost angry, but then a smile spread across her face and she spoke. "Well, I guess you're not a total screw-up after all, Hawkins."

He smiled back at her and shrugged his shoulders. "And you're just figuring this out now?"

"Maybe." She said with a small laugh as she hugged him.

Of course, she caught him off guard and he nearly stumbled back. But, returning the laugh, he held her tightly, knowing she'd step away in only a second in embarrassment. "Don't ever scare me like that again." She whispered as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs from the helm.

"'Course not." He answered before anyone was close enough to hear them.

They let go of one another, both blushing, just as Morph came up and started licking Jim's face. "Ah! Morph, quit!" He tried catching the shape-shifter in his hands, but to no avail. Sora stepped back when the Captain and Doppler came up to talk to Jim. It was then that she remembered Silver, and started wondering where he had gotten off too. After a moment, she figured it out and, with a saddened sigh, she left.

Meanwhile, Captain Amelia had started speaking. "Unorthodox, but ludicrously effective." She complimented. "I'd be proud to recommend you to the interstellar academy. They could use a man like you." She finished with a polite smile.

"Just wait until you mother hears about this!" Doppler exclaimed before realizing what he said. "Of course, we may downplay the life-threatening parts."

Jim nodded in agreement when B.E.N. ran up to him, and, surprisingly, didn't hug him right away. "Jimmy, that was… unforgettable!" The robot shouted. "I know you don't like touching… but get ready for a hug, big guy, 'cause I gotta hug ya!" Through what felt like a bone-crushing blow, Jim was surprised he could ever survive one of B.E.N.'s hugs –but, hugged his friend back anyway. "Hey, you hugged me back… Oh, I promised myself I wouldn't cry…" He said as he began to sob hysterically, one arm around his shoulder. Jim shook his head at him, but couldn't help his laughter.

He looked over to where Silver had stood only moments before –but he was gone. And, it didn't surprise him that Sora was gone, too.

----------------------------------------

When she had turned around, he was gone.

_Same old Silver_, she noted as she walked down the dimly lit hallway. Naturally, she went to look for him, already knowing exactly where he was. Opening the door to the longboat bay, her thoughts were confirmed when she saw him.

"Not going to say goodbye to him?" She asked from behind him, causing him to jump.

When he turned around, there was a sad grin on his face. "Only if it means outrunnin' the authorities."

They fell into silence as Silver got the longboat ready to launch. Looking down at her feet, she thrust her hands into her coat pockets. It suddenly felt terrible, leaving without saying goodbye. But, it wasn't as if either of them had much choice. Silver would go to prison if he stayed any longer, and though Sora wasn't old enough to go to prison, she was almost sixteen –and after that they'd share the same fate.

Sliding a hand along the edge of the longboat, she spoke quietly. "You've really changed something in him." She had noticed something different about Jim as he jumped back onto the deck after saving all their necks. She couldn't help but smile, remembering how… happy he looked.

Silver stopped his work for a moment, shaking his head. "Not really," He stated. "Just showed him what he forgot."

Sora looked up at him. "And what was that?" She asked, curiously.

"Everyone's got a future," He said as if it were common knowledge. "Just depends on how you get there, I guess."

She didn't question further, only cast her gaze away again. Silver had once tried to show her that- but she supposed Jim was a better listener than she was. When they had first met, Silver had never meant for her to throw away her future, but try as he might, she had always thought that there was nothing for herself on Mardella or even Proteus 1. Only now did she fully realize what she had been blind to, what she had missed. She could have tried harder in finding where she belonged. But, she took what was easiest and right in front of her at the time.

She had thrown away her future like Jim almost had done. But, for her, there was no going back –she was already in too deep. Still, she wished she still had the chance to choose her own future-

Morph started squeaking, a worried look on his face, probably because he just figured out they were leaving. "Sorry, Morphy. But, we gotta make tracks." Silver said as he went to work on the rope holding the longboat.

"You never quit, do you?" A voice asked, almost dissapointedly, from the other side of the longboat bay. The voice was recognized by both, and, just as suspected, Jim walked over from the doorway, arms crossed.

"Ah, Jimbo!" Silver exclaimed with a nervous laugh. "I was just checking to make sure…" Pausing, he tied the rope holding the longboat back down. "…our last longboat was safe, and secure."

Jim raised an eyebrow as he walked over to him and re-tied the sloppy knot the man had made. "Hmm, well, _that_ should hold it." He said, standing once more.

With a smile, Silver chuckled. "I taught you too well." As Jim's face became serious, so did his. "If you don't mind, we'd just as soon avoid prison. Little Morphy here, he's…" At the sound of his name, Morph flew a few circles around Silver's hand as he held it up. "He's a free spirit." Silver then caught the pink blob in his robotic hand, trapping him. "Being in a cage, it'd break his heart."

The young man looked back at the big eyes staring at him from behind Silver's fingers as if they were bars in a jail cell. A moment later, the lever controlling the longboat bay door was switched, and the orange light filled the room. Silver took one look at the view beneath the platform before a smile spread across his face, only to be mirrored in the boy standing next to him.

"What say you ship out with us, lad?" Silver asked, placing a hand on Jim's shoulder, and puzzling Sora beyond belief. But, after he finished speaking, she could tell he was testing the young lad to see if he had, indeed, learned something from him. "You and me, Hawkins and Silver, full of ourselves and no ties to anyone!" He finished, gesturing.

Morph turned into a captain's hat and sat atop his head for added affect. Jim smiled up at the shape-shifter with a thoughtful look on his face before taking off the 'hat'. "You know, when I got on this boat… I would've taken you up on that offer in a second." Sora wondered what his answer would be, hoping he'd make the right choice, but not being able to help the thought of spending more time with him.

"But," He said as Morph changed back into his regular self. "Uh, I met this old cyborg…" He kept his gaze away from them both. "And he taught me that I could chart my own course. That's what I'm gonna do." He said with an undoubting look upon his face.

Silver took a deep breath before speaking. "And what do you see… off that bow of yours?"

His thoughts raced in his mind, and he remembered all those times his mother had told him not to throw away his entire future by acting the way he did. After a moment, he looked up with a smile on his face. "A future." He answered.

The man chuckled at his response with a grin. "Why… look at ya, glowing like a solar fire." He said with admiration. "You're something special, Jim. You're gonna rattle the stars, you are."

As she watched them, she could see something in Silver's eyes. He was really proud of the boy. She supposed Silver had acted as a father-figure for both of them… And, seeing him go would've been hard for her too, so she wasn't at all surprised when the two friends embraced one another. A smile crept across her face without her realization. There was no denying the fact that there was something different about Jim. She supposed something Silver had said had gotten through to him.

Rolling her eyes, she forced a fake cough. Silver backed up a bit, wiping at his eye and clearing his throat. "Got a bit of grease in this cyborg eye of mine." He coughed.

Jim took a deep breath, also wiping away a tear he tried to hide. Morph looked back and forth from the two of them and started sobbing. Then he dissolved into a puddle of tears, falling into Jim's hands as the young man spoke. "Oh, hey, Morph. I'll see ya around, Ok?" He finished, trying to coax a smile out of the little shape-shifter.

"See ya around." Morph mimicked in a squeaky voice when he changed back, sniffing sadly at the same time. After nuzzling up against his cheek, Morph flew back to Silver with a saddened look.

Silver glanced towards Morph, sympathetically before taking a deep breath. "Morphy, I got a job for ya." He said difficultly. "I need you to keep an eye on this here pup." They both looked towards the young man standing before them.

It was evident that Silver tried keeping a straight face, but was having a hard time doing so. "Will ya do me… that little favor?" He asked the shape-shifter.

In response, Morph rubbed up against the pirate's cheek in farewell and zipped across the room. Though still in a bit of shock, Jim smiled as Morph flew circles around his head. The pink blob then headed over to say goodbye to Sora, but she held up a hand to stop him as she stood up.

"No need." She stated with the smallest of smiles upon her pale features. "I'm gonna sit this one out, Silver." He raised an eyebrow at her, but a smile returned to his face a moment later. "I think I've had enough adventure for a lifetime."

He chuckled softly, as she walked over and hugged him quickly. Stepping back a bit, she could just see the smile on Jim's face out of the corner of her eye.

"And Sora," He said after getting in the lowering longboat. "_Behave_." He smirked up at her.

"Sure thing." She answered sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, and one more thing, Here's for your dear mother." He addressed Jim, throwing up a small pile of jewels and coins from his coat pocket. "To rebuild that inn of hers."

Jim smiled and slipped it into his pocket. "Stay out of trouble." He said with a smirk. "Ya old scalawag."

Silver chuckled just as the longboat dropped from the line." Why, Jimbo, lad, When have I ever done otherwise?" The longboat drove forward steadily now, as Silver took to the controls, a grin still on his face.

Jim and Sora stood side by side, watching until they couldn't see him anymore. It was silent for a moment before she took a deep breath. "So, how long, do you bet, until we see his face on a wanted poster?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"A week?" He guessed with a laugh.

She raised an eyebrow. "A week?" She asked, walking behind him towards the door. "I'd give him until sun down."

He smiled, not really sure if she was joking or not. But, when he turned around, she had already left.

----------------------------------------

Jim stepped onto the deck, with Morph trailing behind him. Where had she gone? Looking past the deck and over to the docks, he could see Doppler and Amelia talking to two cops. Doubtless, it was over the pirates in the cargo hold, but he suddenly realized why Sora had disappeared. She was going to run. Again.

And he knew exactly where she'd be, now.

In an instant he was heading down the stairs to the crew's quarters. He stopped when he reached the bottom, realizing the girl across the room hadn't noticed he was there. With her back to him, she took off her coat and draped it over her hammock. He could clearly see the rips and tears in her cotton shirt, and the cuts beneath them. She grabbed her bag and just when he thought she would turn around, she stopped.

Without warning she let the bag fall to the floor, and, crossing her arms once more, she leaned against one of the poles. Jim took a step towards her, concern written across his face.

"Sora?" He whispered.

As soon as she heard his voice, she stood straight but didn't turn to him. He could see her wipe her eyes and take a few deep breathes.

"What?" She asked in a shaky voice, still not turning to him.

He sighed. "You're leaving, aren't you?" It was pointless to ask, for he already knew the answer.

"I don't really have any other choice, do I?" She leaned down and took her bag again and quickly tried to walk past him, without letting him see her face.

"Why didn't you go with Silver if you were just going to leave again?" He asked suddenly.

She stopped and looked him straight in the eye. "Because…" Her voice trailed off for a moment before she looked at him again. "… I've made mistakes before, but that doesn't mean I have to keep it up." Her face gave away the sadness she felt. "I don't want to be a thief; I don't want to be a pirate; I don't want any of it anymore. It doesn't mean I'll ever get to live a normal life, but…"

Sighing, she turned around towards the stair again. "But, it does mean I'll get the chance to do something right, for once." She climbed the stairs quickly, leaving him behind her.

He stood there for a moment, thinking over her words. He knew she wanted a way out of this –out of all the mistakes she had made. But, there wasn't one. It was terrible, and though he'd never know what that feels like, he still wanted to help her… there had to be some way to help her…

Yet, even if he couldn't find a way, he knew he didn't want that to be goodbye; He didn't want that to be the last time he saw her.

By the time he reached the deck, she was gone. He ran out onto the dock, but quickly realized he couldn't call out her name. The Captain and Doc were still talking to the officers, and how Sora had gotten past them without being seen was a mystery to him. For a split second, he imagined he saw her walking in the crowd up ahead.

He didn't run after her. And he didn't call out her name. But he _didn't_ give up on seeing her again. There was still a determination in him that what had just happened would _not_ be their goodbye. It couldn't be.

----------------------------------------

As midnight approached, the clock tower's bell sounded loudly across the sky. Within the streets of the spaceport, the only things still moving were the creaking ships as they tugged at their ropes and the old drunkards swaying in the darkened alleyways. It was a clear night, calmer in some districts than others. A particular damages ship lay at post near a safe section of the area; however, just north of this area was a neighborhood worse than most. The streets were left uncared for, and the lamps lighting the paths were left un-repaired. Here, the alleys were not only filled with trash, but the sound of drunken men and clinking glasses, floating from the bars and pubs up to the star-filled sky. It was here that one could be sure to see pirates walking down the streets without a care. It was here that was avoided even by the authorities, for unless ordered to, they would never stray near the place.

A lowly tavern filled with mutineers and thieves held no comfort for a young woman as she sat at the bar. The hood of her jacket concealed her face, her age, and the fact that she was, indeed, a woman. A bottle in her hand, and her eyes fixed blankly on the counter surface, not one thought crossed her mind. Though she had spent a good deal of time in places such as this, she felt uncomfortable. Behind her, the door of the pub opened, letting in a young man. Without hesitating, he sat down next to her and she sighed softly. Recognizing his presence, she knew he must have felt very out of place. Ignoring the mixed conversations of the crowded pub, she spoke first.

"Been searching all night, or do you always come here for a drink?" With an emotionless face, she took a drink as he laughed.

"I see your rude sarcasm hasn't failed you yet." He said with a small smile while folding his arms over the counter.

She averted her gaze from his, keeping the blank expression she was soon growing used to. "I don't know how I'd live without it." She finished in a monotone, feeling a bit concerned that she had been so easy to find.

He took a deep breath before turning to her. "Don't you think you're too_ young _to be here?"

"Don't you think you're too _good_ to be in this kind of neighborhood?" She retorted, looking across the room at the filthy men gambling or drinking at the many wooden tables. He raised an eyebrow at her before she reassured him. "Quit your worryin', there's no alcohol in it." She said, rolling her eyes.

Jim smiled, keeping down a small laugh. A silence passed between them; Sora could hardly stand it, for she knew sooner or later she would say something that would make him leave. But, he was content just knowing where she was. Closing her eyes, she listened to the many conversations in the background, the sound of clinking glasses, and the occasional shout from a cheated gambler. It was a few moments before she couldn't take it anymore.

"Why don't you just get it over with _now_." She said in a dull tone.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Aren't you going to _convince_ me to come back or that everything's fine?"

Refraining from smiling once more, he kept a serious face. "Nope." His gaze wandered around the pub.

Her head shot up when he answered. "Really?" She asked with some actual emotion.

"Really." He shrugged his shoulders, his gaze still wandering.

She was about to say something more when she snapped her mouth shut. Realizing that he was going to ignore her so she'd talk to him, she remained silent._ Thinks he's so smart… _She thought as she fingered the bottle in her hands. _It doesn't matter what he does… I'll still never act the way I should around him. _Sighing in an irritated fashion, her only intent was for him to leave –at least before she yelled at him again. Though she wasn't facing him, she could feel his gaze even through her hood. "You're not going to leave, are you?" It was more of a statement than an actual question.

He said absolutely nothing for a moment –a moment where her own curiosity got the better of her. Just as he spoke, she looked over at him. "Do you want me to?" He asked.

_No._

"Why should I care?" She countered.

_Damn._

He looked back at her for a moment more before casting his gaze elsewhere. Though he tried not to show it, she knew she had hurt him. Again. He kept no expression on his face, looked down at the counter, and didn't say another word. She, too, said nothing, and a terrible silence fell upon them, leaving the two of them to their thoughts.

Jim had known her for a while. He, of all people, should have remembered she had a short temper and said rude things. It still surprised him, though. After all they had been through together… and still she acted like she felt nothing for him? Maybe she didn't –maybe it's just what he wanted, but wasn't actually true. When they had first met she had acted like she hated him, but things had gotten better, hadn't they? But, here she was again, acting like she hated everything about him. There was no end to the confusion in his mind caused by just one person. Now that he actually thought more about it, she was really the most confusing person he had ever met. Not to mention she could be terribly mean and harsh, sarcastic and rude, and the most temperamental woman in the universe.

Just knowing this made it hard for him to see why he loved her at all. But, it was still there. Though those things were true, he still strived for her attention and for her company –even if she was mad at him. He could see what others sometimes couldn't… but that may have been the reason she was even more reluctant to open up to _him. _After all, he seemed to be the only one who saw that she was still a good person, despite her past. And despite what her former _comrades_ thought of her, he had never seen her as a failure –but maybe just a bit like him. Just a bit broken. Just a bit lost.

This is why he once felt like he had a connection with her. After his father left, it left him scarred. The man left without a goodbye, without a note, without leaving anything behind. Just packed up his things and didn't come back that time. Things had gone downhill from then… he had felt so lost, and now, wasn't even unwilling to admit it. He hadn't been able to open up to anyone since that happened, not even his mother. It was strange then for him, when he suddenly found himself at ease talking to someone again. He didn't give short answers or mumbled excuses; he really talked to her. It seemed like they both needed a friend at that time –someone they could find solace in.

And now… now he was losing _her, too. _But, he couldn't let that happen. He _had_ to find out what was really bothering her.

"Is this really all because of him?" He asked, breaking the silence. "All because of what happened?" As he spoke, she didn't even move. She acted as if she didn't hear his words, and, instead, just stared down at the counter. "Is it, Sora?"

"No." She answered quietly, not looking at him.

"Then what is it?" He tried again, hoping she would actually give him an answer. She didn't answer, but just had a tired look in her eyes as she glanced at him before looking away once more.

Jim sighed, rolling his eyes. "Please don't tell me this is all because of what I said." He finished in a much louder tone than he wanted.

"…"

Shaking his head, he questioned her once more. "Why are you making this so difficult?"

It was then that she finally acted like she heard him. Locking their gazes, she spoke in a harsh tone. "Why are you making it all seem so easy? You somehow know exactly how you feel and now you think it should be the same for me!" Standing up, she took a deep breath but still couldn't lower her voice. "I don't have the faintest idea of how I feel about you, alright? All that time, I learned not to feel anything. Not to feel guilt or fear or compassion. And then, you were this… stranger that just came along and broke through all of that -"

She grew confused when she noticed he remained emotionless, but couldn't help but continue in an angry tone. "I don't know if I should hate you for that… or else-" She cut herself off there, closing her eyes for a moment and then taking a deep breath. With her gaze cast down, she shook her head and started towards the door.

Jim didn't have to think twice about whether or not he should stop her.

She pushed her way through the crowed pub, moving fast so as to just get away from the place. Some part of her mind was hoping he wouldn't follow –she knew she'd yell at him if he did and… she didn't want to hurt him again. Yet, another part _wanted_ him to. The dim lighting of the candles combined with the thick smell of smoke that swept over her as she walked across the room made her all the more anxious to leave.

The cold night air was a relief as she stepped out of the building. It took only second for her eyes to adjust to the darkness before she headed down the street. The lamps lining her path were a faded yellow color but hardly lit up anything, yet she continued on. Even though she knew it was a mistake, she didn't go back. She didn't even bother looking back, for she knew he would probably follow. And that would only end in him getting hurt again. It was as if she couldn't even control what she said. The harsh words just came out to easily. Still, she wondered why he put up with it.

_It's because he… loves me. _Her mind answered immediately. _Isn't that part of what love is? Becoming vulnerable around someone, but trusting them not to hurt you? _Feeling terrible after realizing this, she quickened her pace. After a few moments she stopped dead in her tracks, and turned slightly with a puzzled look on her face. She didn't hear footsteps. He wasn't following her.

And quite frankly, she wanted to know why.

Her expression deepened when she saw him. Standing just outside the door with his hands in his pockets, a grim look came across his face as he gazed back at her. She could hardly see him beneath the pub's light above the door, all her eyes could see was nothing more than a dark figure. Yet she could tell it was him.

"Why do you have to keep running away from everything?" He called out softly, his expression never changing.

Something about what he said struck her. It hurt. This… realization of what she had been doing her entire life seemed almost completely new to her mind. "I-" She cut herself off, finally seeing the truth. "I guess I've made it a habit." Finishing, she folded her arms over her chest and turned away, unable to keep a straight face any longer. As soon as he could not see her, she shut her eyes tight for a moment, willing herself not to cry. She didn't know why she felt like this, but she did know that she wouldn't let herself show that kind of weakness.

Walking faster, her heart sped up and she only felt worse. She blessed every star in the sky for the fact he did not follow her –she wouldn't let him see her like this. Old words rang in her ears loudly, and all attempts to forget them were in vain. She had been taught to be strong. Don't show weakness. Don't act sympathetic. Don't show mercy. Don't care. Ever.

For one of the first times in so long, she began to hate all those things piracy had given her in exchange for a miserable life on Mardella. The life had held such promise –freedom…and adventure. Now, she could see that they were just covering up the cold truth. It was impossible to have those things without a sacrifice –like every part of you that wasn't completely wretched.

She walked at an even faster pace, her only desire to be able to look back and not see him anymore.

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**A/N:**

The next, and last, chapter is about half way done already, so the wait shouldn't be as long.

**Awakening. **In life, there is no comfort such as that from a friend.


	14. Awakening

Focusing on keeping his footsteps unheard was easier than trying to figure out what he was going to say. The attempt was pointless; she could have heard him a mile off, so to speak. The winds off the spaceport were violent, yet she moved not an inch as he walked upon the dock behind her. At any moment he pictured her turning around and telling him to leave before he even had a chance to open his mouth, but for now she sat in silence at the end of the pier.

As he neared her, he noticed her knees were pulled up under her chin with her arms around them in a grave manner. Quickly, he realized who was still on her mind, and the reason a sad look hadn't left her eyes since they escaped the planet. His hatred for the man grew once more, but only because it was somehow his fault she was like this now. The mystery, he supposed, of what had happened between them while he was in the core would remain just that- a mystery, for he wouldn't be able to bring it up without seeing the same grieved look in her eyes. It would surely kill him to do that to her.

Jim took another step forward, noting the fact her skin seemed chalk-white in the dim light, whether from recent shock or the cold, he couldn't he sure. Meanwhile, her mind must have been lost quite deep in thought, for it took all possible restraint not to whip her head around when something warm was placed over her shoulders, covering her bare arms. As she looked down, she recognized the jacket immediately, and straightened up a bit, turning her face away from the young man now sitting next to her.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and tried to steady her breathing. She wouldn't embarrass herself like this, especially not in front of him. Patiently, she waited for him to speak, yet he said nothing. Hoping her own curiosity wouldn't betray her further, she turned to look at him, only to find he wasn't even looking at her. His gaze was focused on something in the distant sky –a constellation or star, perhaps. He sat with nonchalance, his legs crossed and his arms behind him to hold himself up.

"What are you doing here?" Her monotone was clearly forced, but the anguish behind it was still apparent.

He remained silent, and acted as though he had not heard her. After a moment, he shrugged his shoulders, his gaze not leaving the sky. "I don't know." Glancing at her, his face held a caring look, though he did not smile.

Sora looked at him for a moment longer with a hidden astonishment before tearing her gaze away from his. Tightening her grip on the small device in her hand, she felt new tears form and spill down her face.

"What's that?" He asked suddenly. She could always trust him to pry. He was just too curious for his own good.

Now sitting in a cross-legged position, she held the instrument in her lap. "It- it's a compendium." She managed to say. "My dad's."

She turned it over in her hand for a moment, running her thumb over the gilded surface. The astronomical device was quite small, fitting into the palm of her hand easily. It's shining surface shown brightly in the faint light, contrasting greatly against her skin. "He gave it to me right before he left," She choked out, giving a small smile though tears fell down her face once more.

She wiped her eyes as he spoke. "Really?" He asked.

Nodding, she kept her gaze down, focusing on her hands. She swallowed once or twice before she found her voice. "Yeah… I- I guess I didn't realize how much I miss him."

He stared out into the dark etherium, thoughts racing across his mind. "You can go where you want now, right? Why don't you go and find him?" He hadn't said it bitterly, but she could tell he didn't like reminding her; he didn't want her to go, and she wasn't completely sure she wanted to.

After a minute of silence, she turned to him. "I could never do that." Just as he was about to ask why, she continued. "Just imagine how disappointed he would be, that I'd made the same mistake he did." She sighed, her gaze falling back down to her lap.

"I'd give anything to see them again. Anything," She paused. "But I don't know if they'd feel the same way."

Lost for words, he didn't answer her right away. What was he supposed to say? There wasn't anything he could say to comfort her, and as he remained silent, something finally clicked in his mind.

"They?" He asked, wondering if he had heard her correctly.

Sora looked over at him with realization written across her face. "Oh, I never mentioned Jason?" And, judging from the look of confusion on his face, she thought not. Her smile grew with each passing second. "Jason is my younger brother, Jim." She laughed softly as relief washed over his face.

"Oh… yeah," He said. "You never told me you had a little brother."

She shrugged. "Hard to believe it slipped my mind, though."

"What's he like?" He questioned, hoping to keep the smile on her face a bit longer. "Probably annoying like you, right?"

"Very funny," She replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "But no; we actually got along really well despite our ages."

Her face took on a blank look for a moment. And, though she stared off into the Etherium, he could tell she was not all there. "Wow," She breathed. "I haven't seen him in almost four years… he must be at least eleven now." She sighed and looked back down at her lap.

Jim looked back up at the sky once here, his mind lost in thought. He had just wanted her to smile, and now here she was remembering how much she missed her brother. The only thing he wanted was for her to be happy, but sometimes it felt like it was just too hard.

"Sometimes I wish I had never left." She whispered. "Then none of this would have ever happened."

His confusion grew; could she be talking about Grant's death, or the fact she had not seen her family in so long? After a moment, he came up with an answer. "Well," He said in a cheery voice, lying down on the dock with his hands behind his head. "Personally, I'm glad you did." He finished with a smile.

She shot him a curious look. "Why?"

"'Cause," He stated, looking up at the sky. "If you didn't, I'd be sitting here, alone, talking to myself." Glancing at her quickly, he flashed a smile.

To his surprise, she actually laughed. And, try as she might, she couldn't fight the genuine smile spreading across her face. Stretching her legs out, she lay next to him, her hands folded and resting on her stomach. As she turned her head to look at him, she couldn't help but grin back at him. After a short moment, he looked back up at the sky, his cheeks turning red. She tried to hold back a laugh as her gaze followed his.

The great expanse of the Etherium met their eyes. It truly was a breathtaking sight, even from the spaceport. The stars littered the sky, shining like diamonds. She could barely count all the familiar constellations she quickly found. After all, it didn't take long for a spacer to learn them all. She hardly broke the silence with her whisper. "Why did you come and find me?"

Jim turned to her, speaking quite truthfully. "I was worried." He said.

"You know I can take care of myself," She said with a puzzled look. "Right?"

Pausing, he looked to her with an almost sad smile. "I know." He answered quietly.

"How could you possibly be worried then?"

"…Just because, Sora." He answered, looking back to the sky.

Doing the same, something moved in the corner of her eye. A streak of light shot across the sky, appearing for only a few seconds before disappearing. It was probably the hundredth shooting star she'd seen in a lifetime, but it was nonetheless beautiful. Meanwhile, Morph had flown over to them out of nowhere, probably done goofing off somewhere else. His tiny eyes widened at the sight, and he 'oohed' and 'aahed' in a cute and high voice.

Sora held back a laugh as a smile spread across Jim's face. Morph looked back and forth between the two with a giggle and flew into Jim's coat pocket, even though it was around Sora's shoulders. With a sigh, the creature fell silent, content in their company.

Jim stifled a laugh once more as he laid his hands on his stomach, sighing tiredly. After this, a silence filled the air that, for one, was not hated. Everything had always seemed so tense between them, but in this one moment, everything seemed at peace. As she closed her eyes, everything seemed to fall away. The worries and troubles were forgotten if only for this moment and she knew she would have never felt this way alone. It was as if, for one, she could enjoy his presence, without a single thought of the past or future. With a contented mind, she leaned her head on his shoulder, not daring to open her eyes for some small fear of his reactionShe may not have seen his smile but she did feel him intertwine his fingers with hers, yet she did not feel uncomfortable.

It was quickly that she realized he'd always made her feel a bit more at ease –and that had, somehow, become the problem. Even though he had made her feel almost… happy, she still knew she had no reason to feel that way. There were just too many regrets and mistakes to be happy. Her thoughts drifted a bit more when she suddenly became aware of someone moving. Jim propped himself up on his elbow as he looked over at her.

"Sora?" His voice seemed distant.

She didn't bother to open her eyes. "Hmmm?" She murmured.

"Tired much?" He asked with a laugh.

"I've not had a decent night's sleep in… forever," She said with a yawn. "I think I'd have to say yes."

As he laughed in response, she attempted a smile but did so half-heartedly. In an instant, her thoughts quickly turn to unwanted realization. She had doubts about seeing him again. Would this be the last time they'd see each other? Sora took a deep breath. "Why are you still here?" She asked suddenly, opening her eyes. "At the spaceport, I mean."

He looked down at her. "I'm going back to Montresser tomorrow." She looked away from him for a moment. "Something about the ferry rides not being able to take off 'cause of all the debris."

He grinned at her, but as he continued, it was replaced with a darkened look. "We're leaving in the morning."

"Oh," She replied lamely with a slightly disappointed expression.

"Why'd you ask?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him again.

She merely shook her head as she looked away. _Guess I _won't_ see him again_, she thought. _This is unbelievable, me getting along with him. It doesn't seem normal for us._ The silence between them continued. _The longer I'm here, the more it'll hurt when I leave._

Another thought struck her, and she couldn't help but speak it aloud. She sat up quickly, keeping her gaze on her hands. "Jim, how… how do you know you- love me?" She barely whispered.

He sat up also, looking off into the distance for some time. His thoughts wandered to those from back at the bar. The answer was easy –getting it into words was another problem entirely. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed loudly. "I guess- I guess it's because I can actually talk to you… but I bet that doesn't make much sense, does it?"

"… I was hoping you had lied." She mumbled, though he had heard her perfectly.

"Why?" He asked.

_It would have made this a lot easier. _She stood up, throwing the jacket into his lap. As she gathered up her things, she spoke in a shaky voice. "I… I think I should go."

Jim stood up also. "Please don't go." He pleaded, placing a hand on her arm.

"I have to."

"…Will I ever see you again?" His voice was just over a whisper.

She had no choice but to look up at him as she answered. His blue eyes met hers in an instant. _I can't hurt him again._ And in that moment she realized why it had been so hard to always hide who she was around him -the reason she fought so hard not to care –the reason she had to leave.

"I don't know." She finally answered, knowing this was easier than to tell him the truth.

"Will you at least tell me why you're leaving?" He asked.

She looked back at him with a stoic face, but in her eyes there was a clear conflict raging. As the tears threatened to return, she looked away.

"Sora?"

Her gaze was focused on the ground off to the side, and she ignored his question. "Promise me something." Her face and voice had a mask of strength, almost hidden as she kept her emotions from running haywire.

"What?" He asked quietly.

Trying to hold back the tears, she looked down almost angrily at the ground for a moment. She brought her gaze back up to his. "Promise me you won't forget your future." He remained silent. "Go to the academy, just do something. Don't ever be like what you were when we first met."

She bit her lip, casting her gaze away once more. "It'll kill you, I know it will." She took a deep breath. "Please promise me." In a shaky voice, she finished. The silence caught up to them once more. From his expression, he must have been thinking this all over, but she was surprised when he let go of her arm.

"Okay."

He could've said goodbye and it would've meant the same thing. As she nodded, she felt she couldn't look at him any longer, so she turned away and started walking down the dock. Her heart pounded in her chest and she knew perfectly what she was doing –and how wrong it was.

As she reached the end of the dock, her voice was carried on the wind back to him. "I'm sorry." There was no doubt about the truth behind her words as she stepped onto the concrete. Neither was there doubt about how she really felt –how she was inescapably in love with him, and couldn't do a thing about it.

As he watched her go, he felt like his legs were rooted to the ground. Unable to move with shock, his thoughts were racing. Hadn't things been fine only moments before? His hands gripped the railing tightly_. It's just like her to run away_, he thought. He wasn't angry with her, though it seemed logical to be; he was just disappointed. It hurt, losing not only the one he loved, but the same one was also his friend, too.

Yet, he could accept the fact he wouldn't see her again –she surely wouldn't come Montresser, it was a strange thing to picture. The open Etherium was home for her and no place else. It was perfect for her, impossible to imagine her anywhere else. As he stared off into the sky, Morph flew up and moaned. With a sad smile, Jim knew he probably didn't even know what was going on, and why Sora had left. But, then again, he could almost say the same for himself.

Placing his hands in his pockets, he gave one last look towards the sky before beginning to walk. As he looked down at the ground, he knew quite well that he could never forget her. After all, she was different from anyone he had ever met. The wind blew steadily, causing him to shiver. _She'll be alright_, he knew; though, it didn't help much.

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_Tap…tap…tap…_

The Seullenuit Tavern's windows looked out on the spaceport's edge. Nearing mid-day, the light and heat combined were unmerciful, and the crowds outside were bursting with noise. Inside the tavern, the first floor was almost completely deserted, unlike the night before when it was filled with shouting and drunken laughter. Sora looked over the empty chairs and tables absentmindedly as she stood at the bar, tapping her fingers insistently on the counter as she waited. She was forced to wait while the innkeeper had a nice little chat with the barmaid before she could give him the key to the room she had stayed in. _Tap...tap…tap… _Her patience was starting to grow thin, yet she was too tired to speak up, and her eyes narrowed at the bright yellow light flooding in through the windows.

But as she looked down at the counter, something in her bag caught her eye. Her fingers stopped tapping, and she carefully lifted a book from the bag. The spine was cracked with wear and age, and the papers were loose. Over the years, she had acquired many books, and before their number would grow too large she would replace them. Yet this one she had kept. It was an old romance she had picked up in a market long ago. She could easily remember laughing at it almost in disgust every time she picked it up. Never could she take it seriously; two people could ever fall in love so easily, and it was now that she realized she was right.

She threw the book back into the bag in frustration. Taking a deep breath, she hung her head a bit lower so as to avoid the light. Exhaustion crept upon her from the night before, for despite her lack of sleep, her mind had protested against it. The night had been cruel, the faces of her comrades resurfacing in her memory the moment she closed her eyes. Then, as if things could not get worse, her thoughts had turned to Jim, and hadn't strayed much. At that moment, she felt an aching her chest but would not cry.

She had spent the entire night trying to figure out why she loved him, or at least why she shouldn't. Needless to say, she had quickly realized she loved everything about him, faults and all, and the excuses to leave were just that –excuses. The first was that she simply couldn't live on Montresser. Doppler would surely recognize her and then wouldn't the authorities be on her shortly after? The second, well, after that she had given up. Her past seemed to be the only thing stopping her, no matter how much she wanted to be rid of it. But did that really matter?

He was the only thing she could think about; _he_ was the only thing that mattered anymore. But, now she felt more like a coward than ever. Despite the things she had done in her past, she just couldn't seem to find the courage to go see him again. Yet, would she really be able to live her whole life wondering what could have happened if she did?

"Miss?" The Innkeeper repeated for a second time. "The key?"

"Oh!" She said, startled as if she had just realized he was there. "Here… sorry." She mumbled, handing him the key while her thoughts were miles away and her heart was beating madly in her chest.

Stepping away from the bar, she rushed to the door without much thought before stopping suddenly at the door. "Excuse me," She said the moment she reached the counter. The Innkeeper gave an annoyed sigh, gut turned to her anyway. "When is the next ferry to Montresser?" She felt out of breath as she said it.

The man looked at her for a moment before laughing deeply. "This is Cresentia! Montresser's spaceport!" He grinned in amusement. "They leave ev'ry minute of ev'ry day. Which town yah headin' for, young miss?"

It took her mind a moment to work through his thick accent, and a moment longer to try and remember what town he lived in_. It was the name of the inn, I'm sure of it…_ "Benbow." She answered suddenly.

The Innkeeper looked over his shoulder to the old clock hanging on the wooden wall. After this he glanced down at a small schedule underneath the counter before answering plainly. "Next is leavin' at noon at dock N23." He grinned a toothy smile, and pointed to the clock with his thumb.

She swallowed the oath on her tongue and ran towards the door, shouting a 'thank you' behind shoulder. "Teenagers," The man behind the counter shook his head as he watched her go. "…three minutes to noon…" He muttered. "…never make it."

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As he walked back through the crowds once more, he looked down at his feet. His mind jumped back to almost every moment he had spent with her, good and bad. There was no way he wanted to leave without saying goodbye. But, as he looked ahead, he could see the ferry ride, and knew his mother and Doppler wouldn't be willing to wait any longer. Even thought B.E.N. had met Sara only moments before, he had already woven a long conversation in the time they had left the inn. Jim payed little attention to it, throwing a half-hearted smile their way when his mother looked over to him. He was happy to see her again, yet there was still someone else on his mind that refused to leave any time soon.

Narrowly missing someone's shoulder, he noted he should pay attention to where he was walking –though his mind protested against what was somehow common sense.

Would he ever see her again? It seemed like an eternity when they were on Treasure Planet, but they were only apart for… what, less than a day? He hated not knowing –not knowing if she was alright, or where she was. But, he knew he had to go home now, no matter how much he didn't want to. The _Legacy_ had somehow become a second home for him in the last few months -and Sora, with it. It felt weird to go to a world that she wasn't a part of.

Something shook him from his thoughts. His head jerking up, he looked around as if someone had called his name. Did they? With his mind deep in thought, he wasn't really paying attention.

No.

The slim hope he had in mind was crushed with the returning silence –well, somewhat silent, anyway. It was foolish to think she would come.

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Sora dodged a young man carrying a large basket, and then almost stepped into the way of a densadron carrying a large crate under each arm. He grunted as she stepped around him. _The one day I wear a skirt…_ She thought sarcastically …_I decide to have a run through this blasted spaceport!_

The bright artificial sunlight seemed to taunt her as she ran, adding to the heat which, in turn, just added to her exhaustion. Yet, somehow, she didn't care. The only thing that occupied her thoughts was making it to the right dock before the ferry took off. She pushed her way through another massive crowd surrounding dock H14 where a small sloop was leaving port.

_I haven't got time for this…_ With a quick turn, she made her way down a shadowed alley, documenting a map of the streets in her mind. If she were to get lost now –she did not know if she'd be able to forgive herself. Her black boots were sprayed with water as she stepped through a puddle. Still, she continued down the alley, hoping that it would turn out to be a shortcut and not a way making her even more lost.

And then, when she thought she truly had lost her way, she stepped out into the bright light once more –and the crowds, too. Yet, as she looked up as the sign hanging above the street, her breath caught in her throat. It read N18. She still had quite a long way to go… and that was when the clock tower rang.

Never in her life had she heard a more heartbreaking sound.

It stopped her dead in her tracks as any hope she had clung to slipped away with mid-day directly upon her. And yet –she loved him. She had to see him again, even if he was mad at her for leaving, even if it was just to say goodbye again. It wasn't just a wish anymore; she_ had_ to see him. And just realizing this made all the difference.

She ran with renewed energy –hope, a realization that made her feel uneasy and excited at the same time. Caring not about the looks of those she rushed past, she couldn't help but smile. She had never felt like this before –this was love, and she couldn't have doubted it for one second.

The next sign made her slow down, stopping almost beneath it as she looked up at it. Dock N23 – Her smile disappeared when she looked over to her left and saw the ferry's door close. "Wait!" Not in a million years would she ever understand what made her shout it out. It wouldn't stop; no one would hear her –except for the group of people standing near the railing waving goodbye to those that they knew.

As she reached the end of the dock, her hands grasped the railing. The ferry's take-off sent a gust of wind that sent hats flying and coats swaying and pushed her hair in front of her face. After only a moment, the wind died and the ride disappeared into the distance, Sora felt like collapsing. She had tried to come back, something she'd never imagined doing. It just didn't seem right that for once she had come back from something she had run away from, only for the whole attempt to blow up in her face.

She tucked some loose hair behind her ear and looked down at her hands as she gripped the rail tightly. The crows dispersed and soon she was the only one left standing on that particular dock. Never had she felt so alone-

And never had she been so wrong.

"I missed you."

The voice and its familiarity cause her heart to beat faster, that is, if it was even possible. She turned around, still grasping the railing behind her as she let her bag slip from her hand onto the ground. It was the last thing on her mind. He was just standing there, casually looking across the spaceport as if looking for something before looking back to her and offering a small smile. The wind played with his brown hair, and he took a step towards her as she spoke.

"I thought-"

"Yeah, we didn't leave," Jim said with a relaxed shrug of the shoulders. "My mom forgot her hat down at the inn. _Parents_, huh?" She nodded nervously, casting her eyes elsewhere and just realizing that she was standing here in front of the one she loved… and didn't even know how to tell him.

He took another step towards her, knowing he wasn't able to tear his gaze away from her. Just looking at her almost made him smile at her in amusement; never did he think he'd see her in a skirt –and one so colorful at that. True, she wore a long skirt which appeared to have many layers, each a different color. Yet, what caught his gaze was her expression. She had really mastered the art of masking her emotions. Even to the point where he hadn't the slightest idea what was going through her mind. But now, she had a look that almost made him think she was… shy? That truly was unlike the girl he had grown to know, so what in the Etherium was making her act like this?

He walked even closer, feeling a bit nervous himself, with both hands in his pockets. Keeping his gaze on her for a moment more made her look up at him, unable to bare the silence any longer. It was then that he chose to speak.

"So, what's your reason for coming back?" He asked with a serious face.

She took a breath, as if she was about to say something, and then quickly looked back down at the ground with a frustrated look. He raised an eyebrow at the way she shifted back and forth nervously and bit her lip.

"Are you going to tell me? Or-"

"You." She said just above a whisper.

He could have easily believed his heart skipped a beat. "What?"

With the way she continued to look straight down, her black hair fell over her face and masked her expression as she spoke again. "It's you." She said a bit hesitantly, yet it was easy to tell she was not lying. "You're the reason I came back."

Jim raised a hand and lifted her chin gently, bringing her gaze level with his. The way he looked straight into her eyes caused her to shiver, despite wearing a white short sleeved shirt in the hot weather. It wasn't really a questioning look, yet it was like he was trying to tell whether she was telling the truth or not.

She took a deep breath, though it could never prepare her for what she had to say. "I love you." She said with certainty. He let his hand fall away, yet did not look away from her with his emotionless face. Her gaze fell upon the railing to her right, unable to keep it on his penetrating stare.

"I really do. And I'm sorry I left. The only reason I did was because…" Her voice trailed off as she took another breath. "I guess I was just scared. I mean, every time I was around you, it was like I couldn't hide anymore. And I just… didn't know what that was like."

She ran a hand through her hair and continued with an uneasy voice. "But, ugh! Look at me now, I'm rambling –I was supposed to come here and… just tell you that, I guess, and… I don't know. I-"

Still with a stoic face, he placed a hand on the back of her neck and brought her face close to his. And, with his arm around her waist, he kissed her before she could say another word. For a moment she was stunned, yet she closed her eyes and let go of the railing behind her. Her hands lightly touched his cheek, and she was awfully afraid of waking up.

She suddenly pulled away, looking straight into his confused face with an almost playful look. "Are you _always_ going to kiss me like that?" She asked as he pulled her closer to him, almost like he was afraid she'd run away again.

He looked a bit taken aback at her question. "Like what?"

"Unexpectedly." She smiled at him as she answered.

He couldn't help but grin back at her and lean his forehead against hers. "Only if you want me to." She laughed, but quickly silenced it herself as she kissed him once more –yet it was different from the night upon the Legacy. It was finally a kiss between two people who loved each other. Two people who could think of nothing but one another, and who could look towards the horrifically clouded future underneath the stars with… hope.

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**A/N:**

And you thought it'd be a sad ending…. Tsk, tsk, tsk. (Or maybe you didn't) ; )

So, this is the end, but there's a bit of a chance for an epilogue. But, I do need to explain something. You see, my friend has been giving me ideas for this story and well, she's kinda taken over a bit. She can't stop talking about a sequel… and she's planting these really awesome ideas in my head, too. So, most likely, there'll be a sequel. Not any time soon, though. Sorry, but I need, like, a month break to try some other oneshots –maybe Teen Titans or Avatar. I'm not sure, but be sure to keep me on your author alert, please. Thanks for all of you who reviewed and read the story. You all rock! This is the first one I've ever done so I'm really glad to have the feedback.

Thanks everyone!

Dark Angel


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